Sundance 2026: ‘Frank & Louis’ is Another Emotional Prison Drama

by Alex Billington
January 27, 2026

There is nothing more important in this world than taking care of others. In general, we all need to learn to be more caring and more open and more empathetic. I’m always touched by good films that take their time to remind us of this, telling heartfelt stories that deserve to be told even if they’re not about your life. Frank & Louis is a passion project from acclaimed Swiss filmmaker Petra Volpe, it’s a film she has been trying to make for over a decade since first visiting a prison in California in 2014. It’s finally finished and ready to meet the world – premiering at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in the Premieres section. It was an honor to be in attendance at the world premiere at the festival, as I believe a film like this is especially powerful when an audience is experiencing it together – feeling all the emotions, and connecting with all the people in the story. There are many films set in prisons, often stories about inmates trying to hold on to their humanity in such an awful place. And while this is yet another prison film joining the ranks, it stands out in many ways.

Frank & Louis is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Petra Volpe, with a screenplay co-written by Petra Volpe & Esther Bernstorff, based on real stories of Gold Coats programs in prions. Volpe continues to prove she is a truly magnificent filmmaker with each new film she makes – exploring new ground while maintaining her vital sense of humanistic & invigorating storytelling. Following The Divine Order in 2017, she debuted Late Shift (about hospital nurses) last year which was Switzerland’s Oscar submission (and it’s a superb film). Frank & Louis is her first English language feature and it’s such a gorgeous film, quiet in its storytelling and cinematic sensibilities, yet loud in its emotions and compassion. The film stars the understated Kingsley Ben-Adir as inmate Frank, who is transferred into this prison. He quickly joins a prison support program in hopes that it might help his upcoming parole hearing. He’s assigned to an elderly prisoner named Louis, played by Rob Morgan, who has Alzheimer’s and is losing his sense of time & place while his years dwindle away. They slowly start to connect and Frank learns some lessons along the way about his own redemption.

While this film tells a familiar story about the bleakness of existence for inmates, it’s still a deeply affecting, sincere work of cinematic art. Filled with little touches of humanity and hope and beauty even amid all the pain and sorrow and loneliness of prison life. Though it’s such a sad story. It’s near impossible to watch this and not be inundated with strong emotions. However, it’s a lightweight story, never expanding beyond this relationship between Frank & Louis. It’s simply about them and that’s it and that’s enough. Rob Morgan is already one of the greats. Kingsley Ben-Adir is on his way to being one of the greats. These two together along with Volpe behind the lens have created something special. Even if there are many other films with a similar premise, there’s still so much heart & soul to be found in the tenderness and vulnerability that Volpe offers. I wish I could do something more for these people, help them out in some way. The real value of this film is it’s a reminder that human connection is important no matter if you’re in prison or not. And we need to take the time and especially the effort to be honest & open with others to make that connection possible.

Alex’s Sundance 2026 Rating: 8 out of 10
Follow Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing

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