You and What Army
Once the largest women's prison in Europe, Holloway Prison now lies empty. Six women who were once prisoners walk back through its gates. Though they have different personalities, backgrounds, hopes a…
You and What Army
Once the largest women's prison in Europe, Holloway Prison now lies empty. Six women who were once prisoners walk back through its gates. Though they have different personalities, backgrounds, hopes and dreams, they are all determined to reclaim their stories and give voice to the voiceless women still behind bars. As they explore the empty cells and corridors where they once lived, memories resurface. In the prison's former chapel, the group gathers for a women's circle. Initial tensions arise because they view Holloway through very different lenses: for some, it was a site of "nightmares"; for others, a "holiday camp" or a "home." Each woman struggles with vulnerability in her own way: some feel mistrust, or mask emotions with bravado, others suppress a righteous rage. Trust builds, and deep-seated emotions and hidden fears finally come out. As they share and listen, they find the courage to open up, revealing strikingly similar stories of growing up around domestic violence and facing punishment from a young age. Their experiences paint a harsh picture of broken systems and the societal pattern of criminalising young women for their trauma. As they unpack layers of identity, the women grapple with accountability and shame: shame stemming from childhood, but compounded by a system that never put their behaviour in context. With the group's support, they journey towards self-compassion, in a transformative process that stands testament to the power of collective healing and the brave and cathartic act of sharing your story.
You and What Army
Comedy
Film Details
Once the largest women's prison in Europe, Holloway Prison now lies empty. Six women who were once prisoners walk back through its gates. Though they have different personalities, backgrounds, hopes and dreams, they are all determined to reclaim their stories and give voice to the voiceless women still behind bars.
As they explore the empty cells and corridors where they once lived, memories resurface. In the prison's former chapel, the group gathers for a women's circle. Initial tensions arise because they view Holloway through very different lenses: for some, it was a site of "nightmares"; for others, a "holiday camp" or a "home." Each woman struggles with vulnerability in her own way: some feel mistrust, or mask emotions with bravado, others suppress a righteous rage.
Trust builds, and deep-seated emotions and hidden fears finally come out. As they share and listen, they find the courage to open up, revealing strikingly similar stories of growing up around domestic violence and facing punishment from a young age. Their experiences paint a harsh picture of broken systems and the societal pattern of criminalising young women for their trauma.
As they unpack layers of identity, the women grapple with accountability and shame: shame stemming from childhood, but compounded by a system that never put their behaviour in context. With the group's support, they journey towards self-compassion, in a transformative process that stands testament to the power of collective healing and the brave and cathartic act of sharing your story..