One Day in Khadimiya Prison for Women

Despite the exceptional conditions Iraq is in, Iraqi directors are still able to surprise us with exceptional films. This documentary is an example.
It is the first time in the history of Iraqi cinema that a film crew was granted access to a prison, its halls and cells, to talk to its female detainees. The movie registers the daily life in prison for 22 days, but it is documented as one day, because all days within these walls are completely identical.
The daily routine of the prisoners’ life make them complain about everything. The camera manages to bring us very close to their desperation and hopelessness. Most of these women describe the misery they are living in very intensely.
The film crew had a lot of difficulties dealing with the prisoners. Some women ran away from the camera, afraid of bringing shame to their families. In Eastern societies such as Iraq, being imprisoned as a woman for whatever reason is totally unacceptable.
One Day in Khadimiya Prison for Women discusses the daily life of its residents starting from the objectives of the prison administration: rehabilitation and reformation.