Layal, a young newlywed Palestinian schoolteacher is arrested after being falsely accused and sentenced to 8 years of prison. She is transferred to a high security Israeli women's prison where she encounters a terrifying world in which Palestinian political prisoners are incarcerated with Israeli criminal inmates. When she discovers she is pregnant, the prison director pressures her to abort the baby and spy on the Palestinian inmates. However, resilient and still in chains, she gives birth to a baby boy. Prison conditions deteriorate and the Palestinian prisoners decide to strike. The prison director warns her against joining the rebellion and threatens to take her son away. In a moment of truth, Layal is forced to make a choice that will forever change her life.
Awards
- Young Jury Prize (Peace Brigades International) - FIFDH
Festivals
Labels & Line Ups
Credits
- Cast
- Maisa Abd Elhadi
- Nadera Omran
- Raida Adon
- Karim Saleh
- Abir Haddad
- Rakeen Saad
- Screenplay
- Mai Masri
- Cinematography
- Gilles Porte
- Editing
- Michele Tyan
- Music
- Sharif Sehnaoui
- Distributor
- MAD SOLUTIONS
- Sales
- INTRAMOVIES
- Production
- ORJOUANE PRODUCTIONS
- Production
- NOUR PRODUCTIONS
- Production
- LES FILMES D'ICI 2
Press
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Quite inspiring and eye-opening.

Mai Masri
Palestine
Mai Masri is a Palestinian director who studied film at University of California, Berkeley and San Francisco State University. Her features include UNDER THE RUBBLE (1983) and WILD FLOWERS: WOMEN OF SOUTH LEBANON (1986), both co-directed with Jean Khalil Chamoun, CHILDREN OF FIRE (1991), SUSPENDED DREAMS (1992), 33 DAYS (2007), and 3000 NIGHTS (2015).