No Burqas Behind Bars

Director: Nima Sarvestani, 2013, Sweden/Afghanistan/Iran, 77 minutes

Screening with: Parvaneh

A feature-length cinematographic documentary that takes viewers inside one of the world’s most restricted environments: an Afghan women’s prison. Through the prisoners’ own stories we explore how “moral crimes” are used to control women in post-Taliban Afghanistan. Women are normally faceless in Afghanistan. Outside the home burqas cover them from head to toe. The all-encompassing burqa completely mask their identity, rendering Afghan women invisible. And voiceless. Except when they are in prison, here they have nothing left to lose. Sima, married at ten, with five children by the time she was 20 years old, is locked away together with her children for 15 years. Her “crime”? Fleeing from an abusive husband, who had already murdered one of his other wife’s and their child. Sara, locked away because she fell in love. Najibeh, Latife, and many more names – they all carry stories that testament the inner strength and dignity of the human being when she faces obscene living conditions.

Winner of the Paris International Film Festival on Human Rights

Nima Sarvestani

Nima Sarvestani, born 1958 in Shiraz Iran, started his career as a journalist in Iran. Since moving to Sweden in 1984, he has been concentrating on documentary filmmaking. He funded Nima Film Productions, a Swedish independent film production company in 1987. Focusing on social and political issues, he is inspired by those who fight passionately for their cause. ”No Burqas behind Bars” is Nima Sarvestanis fourth film, which has been shot in Afghanistan. He has directed more than ten award-winning films made in Central Asia.