Selome Hailu Samuel L. Jackson is sitting at the edge of a fountain in the center of a beautiful courtyard. A few feet away from us, there’s an ensemble of violinists and guitarists and drummers playing music from all over the world.
Jackson is here, he tells me, for asking people, “What’s in your wallet?” But no, he’s not taping a Capital One commercial. I should mention that his middle initial stands for Lamont, not Leroy — this isn’t the “Pulp Fiction” actor.
We’re at the oldest prison in the state of California attending the San Quentin Film Festival: the world’s first event of its kind, meant to put a spotlight on creative work produced by people like Sam, who has been incarcerated for 28 years.
Like his peers playing instruments across the fountain from us, who are known as the Greater Good Ensemble of Chapel C, Sam is a musician.
Read more on variety.com