We caught up with Taika Waititi and Steve Happi on the red carpet as they talked about their Jail Time Records documentary at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival.
The new documentary Jail Time Records profiles the first prison recording studio on the African continent and three incarcerated artists who express themselves through music. While there are countless music recording studios throughout the African continent, this groundbreaking space can be found inside New Bell Prison in Cameroon, Central Africa – one of the most overcrowded prisons on the continent, built for 800 individuals but currently housing nearly 6,000 men. Serving as both a creative hub and a therapeutic outlet, the “Jail Time Records” studio allows incarcerated hip-hop artists like “Stone,” “Emperor,” and “Transporter” to record potent tracks and find redemption through their art.
Mama’s Geeky correspondent Rachel Tolleson was on the ground to cover the premiere of Jail Time Records at the Tribeca Film Festival 2026. We caught up with Executive Producer Taika Waititi and Director Steve Happi to discuss bringing this powerful landscape to New York audiences, altering the general perception of formerly incarcerated individuals, and how art serves as the ultimate tool for human connection.
Taika Waititi & Steve Happi Talk Jail Time Records Documentary
Mama’s Geeky: How exciting is it to have this film at Tribeca?
Taika Waititi: It’s amazing… Tribeca’s an incredible festival… And to have a film like this screening for people, you know, I bet half the people in this city have never been to Cameroon or never will. And live like they’re in prison. So, you know, to have both of those things and have people come and see these guys, you know, the thing that all of us as humans want the most in the world to be seen…
Mama’s Geeky: What was your approach to tackling this unique project?
Taika Waititi: Well, I think it goes back to just we need more experiences and see how other people live… Especially for young people, to see how other people live in the world and to say, hey, wow, I don’t look like them. I don’t look like them, but I feel like them. And I think that’s the most important thing.
Mama’s Geeky: What makes you proudest about being involved with this film?
Taika Waititi: I’m just proud to be involved… I came in and said, hey, do you want some help finishing your film? And I’ll be an EP… I just want their story to be seen. I want people to see it. I want it to travel. I don’t care about the money. If you get into documentaries for money, you’re in the wrong business.
Mama’s Geeky: How does it feel to bring this film to Tribeca?
Steve Happi: Wow, it’s incredible. Like, coming from the hole of the Uber prison in Cameroon to New York. Like, you know, everything is new. Yeah, so, it’s incredible. The feeling is good. I’m thankful for that… I’m here right now, but there’s a whole team behind me.
Mama’s Geeky: How will this film change perspective on incarcerated individuals?
Steve Happi: For me, the most important thing is really changing the general perception of the society, basically. How people perceive those who went to jail or formerly incarcerated people… We have people around the world, people in Cameroon, who really like the project. They are not even thinking anymore about like, yeah, those are incarcerated people. They are saying, they are like, oh wow, I like Emperor, I like Stone, I like Transporter.
Mama’s Geeky: What was the filming process like with these men?
Steve Happi: It was a family business. I can say it was really a family business before doing it… It’s a small team, but really big, too… So, basically, we learned how to film. Some of them learned how to record. So, it was a whole process of everyone involved. Even, like, the prisoners, you know, everyone was involved.
Watch the full red carpet interview video for more from the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Jail Time Records.
