Although the primary goal of the documentary is to examine prison tattooing in Russia, it gives the subjects the opportunity to discuss the conditions in the prisons. I thought this was an expertly crafted technique: if Alix Lambert had arrived in Russia and looked to film the deplorable conditions in the prisons, she'd likely have been guided to some "show prison" where prisoners are treated kindly. By examining tattooing, she had the opportunity to see how casually accepted the poor conditions really are.
Review of The Mark of Cain
