Confinement and Camaraderie: Girls Behind Bars in 'Starless Dreams' and 'Sunless Shadows'

A diptych shot in a juvenile-detention facility for girls, Mehrdad Oskouei's two documentaries shine a light both on the lives and friendships of those incarcerated within and the patriarchal oppression that awaits them beyond – this latter tyranny, in many case, underlying the crimes they're serving time for. Speaking with the director, Anthony Carew explores the films' varying approaches to the same topic and setting, along with the importance of allowing the subjects to tell their own stories.

Additional keywords:
Iran, Iranian cinema, prison, rehabilitation, It's Always Late for Freedom, The Last Days of Winter, addiction, domestic violence, family violence, sexual abuse, murder, NGOs