"Founded in the Philippines in 1904 by the american colonial administration , Iwahig is a penal farm almost completely self-sufficient and self-managed by its inmates serving long sentences who have become farmers, fishermen, watchmen?

After being tested for several months, they can move freely within the 38,000 hectares of jungle, mountains and wild prison coastline and bring their families to live with them. No fences separate them from the neighbouring villages where they are used to going for a walk.

Their hierarchical organization, based on promotion by merit and seniority, allows for minimum intervention by the penitentiary staff.

Alejandro, chief of the inmates, plunges us into this universe through the portraits of a few fellow prisoners :

Toting who goes fishing on the open sea without a guard tells us about his past.

Denelyn and Jenelyn, two adolescents whose father is serving a life sentence and are trying to help the family survive.

Rodrigo, a young inmate beaten by a prison employee.

A prison system unique to this world, Iwahig opens up new horizons."

"Alexandre Leborgne: Born in 1973, France ? Anthropologist specialized in Philippines? languages and cultures.

He discovered the Iwahig prison when crossing it by bus to reach an ethnic group where he was studying chamanism.

First Film

Pierre Barougier: Born in 1971, France ? Cinematographer ? graduated from ENS Louis Lumi?re.

2001: Radio la Colifata, 52 mn. , DV cam

A radio made by patients from a psychiatric hospital in Buenos Aires (Documentary).

2004: D?sirs d?Ecole, 52 mn. , DV cam

A year in an alternative school following the Freinet pedagogy in France (Documentary)."