“I’ve made many films in prisons and I know a lot of killers but I was spooked when I first went into a forensic psychiatric institution.”
Emmy-winning director John Kastner is talking on The Green Room about the filming process for Not Criminally Responsible which screens at the Cork Film Festival this month.
The documentary focuses on Sean Clifton, a man with paranoid schizophrenia who is found guilty of stabbing a woman leaving her for dead in Ontario in 1999.
The court declared Sean not criminally responsible and transferred him to a forensic psychiatric institution.
The film follows Clifton as he enters the facility explaining that the “devil told him to stab the prettiest girl in the mall.”
At this stage, the director says Clifton was what some people consider to be a monster.
Following months of treatment Clifton’s behaviour changes.
“He evolves into someone who could be your high school teacher,” says Kastner.
The film chronicles Clifton’s transition back into the community and the reaction of the victim and her family as they learn of his impending release.
The rate of recidivism for people imprisoned in Canada’s main prisons is estimated at over 40%. For those with mental health issues who are treated at forensic psychiatric facilities the figure falls to 7%, according to John Kastner.
Listen here to the full interview with John Kastner on The Green Room with Orla Barry:
Not Criminally Responsible screens on November 17th at 1pm in The Triskel Christchurch as part of The Cork Film Festival. Director John Kastner will attend. www.corkfilmfest.org
The Green Room airs at the brand new time of Saturday evenings from 9pm-11pm
