United States

The brutalisation of a teenage boy by the impersonality of the penal system is the theme of Jennifer Miller's forceful drama: "In The Custody Of Strangers". Young Danny is the family problem. His turbulent relationship with his father triggers his wild behaviour as he tries to escape from the emotional pressure. After a drinking spree with two friends, prompted by yet another heated argument at home, he collides with a police car and is booked for drunken driving. In a misguided attempt to teach his son a lesson, Danny's father insists that the police lock him up... for just one night - which is long enough for Danny. The victim of a homosexual advance he responds with extreme violence resulting in the hospitalisation of a fellow prisoner and an additional charge of assault and battery. For Danny, just one night becomes just the beginning of a terrifying nightmare.