“Through the portraits of these women, whose only mistake was to follow their own path and sometimes their hearts, the film lets their voices, their distress, and their hopes be heard. All the inhabitants of the prison, the guardians, and the visitors, have their say. Their testimonies draw the contours of this closed world and of the destinies of the women who meet there.” (Paris International Film Festival On Human Rights [FIFDH])

No Burqas Behind Bars focuses on how “moral crimes” are used to control women in post-Taliban Afghanistan. Filmmakers Nima Sarvestani and Maryam Ebrahimi captured this award-winning documentary within the walls of Takhar Prison in Afghanistan, where there are approximately 40 women and their children who are locked up together in a prison within the prison. Through moments of fear, hope, and solidarity, they often feel safer here than they did on the outside, as many ran from home to escape their adulterous and abusive husbands. In this postage-stamp-sized space, they try to process their traumatic pasts, build a new life, and make plans for a better future. Winner of the 2014 International Emmy Award for Best Documentary and the 2014 Prix Europa for Best European TV Documentary.