Documentary Series about Detention as a Lever for Change

ICPA2023 Presentation by Tess Uytterhoeven, An Janssens and Kathleen Van De Vijver (ICPA2023-PID205)

Authors

Tess Uytterhoeven

TV Producer, Woestijnvis, Belgium

Tess Uytterhoeven is a Belgian TV producer/editor who has made several Human Interest TV series. She has worked in Belgian prisons during several years. One of the documentary series of which the fourth season is about to be filmed, is called Ooit Vrij. In this series prisoners are portrayed in prison and during their parole procedure to reintegrate into society. It is an honest portrait of various individuals on the verge of a new life. Another human interest series Tess made about the effects of incarceration is called Justice in Jail. For this project 6 highly placed officials (among whom the Belgian Federal Minister of Justice) who normally decide about the lives of inmates are locked up in prison themselves, together with ex-inmates. The program is a mixture of the reality filmed in prison and in-depth testimonials of the participants in which they reflect on broader themes of imprisonment, such as mental health, drug smuggling, the connection with family, the importance of waiver of guilt, and many more.

An Janssens

Director, Antwerp Prison, Belgium

An Janssens is the prison warden of the Antwerp prison and was imprisoned during 4 days for the documentary series Justice in Jail.

Kathleen Van De Vijver

Spokeswoman Belgian Prison Service, Coordinator International Projects & Cellmade Prison Labour, Belgian Federal Service, Belgium

Kathleen was governor of the Prisons of St Gillis, Oudenaarde and of the prison of Beveren in Belgium. Since 2015 she is the coordinator of International Projects and Cellmade Prison Labour Flanders. Since 2016 she is the Spokeswoman of the Belgian Prison Service.

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