Republic of Moldova has one of the highest amount of inmates per capita in
Europe, including the highest rate of the longterm convicted. To shed a light
on the issues of penitentiary system, Art Centre “Coliseum” made a play in
most secured prison for lifers in country. For several months inmates were
studying the craft of acting to perform on the same level together with
professionals from National Theatre. All the inmates are the lifers and some of
them stayed more than half of their life in prison. Through Hamlet/Process
play directors Mihai Fusu and Luminita Ticu aimed to draw attention to
conditions of lifers in Moldova, to penitentiary system as whole and most
important people’s stereotypes. Inmates and their right to be changed is tabu
topic among people and paired with poor economical conditions and corrupted
institutions it leaves no chances for those who wants to be changed
Ramin Mazur was born on Dniester left bank of Moldavian Soviet Republic, which became an unrecognized state of Transnistria after 1991. After graduating from Journalism Department of Moldavian State University in Chisinau he became to work with different print media in his country as photo reporter. The lack of understanding in local media of what actually photojournalism is, led him to work on his own independent projects.
