Peter Kerekes. The security checks we passed through to enter the prison were fairly relaxed and we were able to move about the facility relatively freely. Mobile phones were prohibited, as were alcohol and drugs, however, I found this to be a blessing, rather than a limitation, as everyone was focused on making the film.

We had to adapt our shooting schedule to fit with that of the prison and we were permitted to film between 7am and 7pm. We had to obtain special permission to shoot night scenes. As such, filming lasted about 12 hours a day, which is quite unusual for us, as we are used to shooting for 16 to 18 hours a day. This meant that filming took place over a longer period, which came at a significant extra cost. To compensate for the increased shooting costs, I had to opt for cheaper, lower quality filming equipment. The lower video quality meant that we were heavily reliant on the weather; sometimes we had to wait to film when the sun came out or when it was cloudy. While we were waiting to film, the prisoners were also waiting. Paradoxically, these indefinite delays spent smoking and chatting in the yard were what contributed most to the making of the film. They allowed us to spend more time with the prisoners, to hear their stories and build friendships with them.

The film lies between documentary and fiction. If we had chosen to produce a documentary, we would have been outsiders in the prison, which would have limited us to observing and capturing the lives of incarcerated women in Odessa. The fictional element of the film enabled collaboration between director and subject: we worked with the prisoners to create the image of the prison. A documentary would have likely resulted in an overly positive depiction of the prison, rather than one representative of real life. The veil of fiction allowed the prisoners to express their hopes and fears more freely, which, in turn, enabled us to document their detention conditions more effectively.

PK. The vast majority of incarcerated women in Odessa were from severely underprivileged backgrounds. They grew up surrounded by crime in environments where violence was normalised. They didn’t know any other way, so they too turned to violence and were incarcerated. It was ultimately a question of their survival.

For these women, prison was not an escape from violence. There were endless tensions and conflicts, especially given the enclosed nature of the facility. The prison guards in Odessa were extremely vigilant and were considerate of the prisoners’ needs. They endeavoured to defuse tensions and prevent conflicts from escalating.

From what I understand, many prisoners had better living conditions in prison than they had before they were incarcerated. The penitentiary environment perpetuated the violence prisoners experienced on the outside, but at the same time it allowed them to spend time with their children. ¹ In fact, children were able to sleep with their mothers until they were six months old. The “children’s home” facilitated stable mother-baby relationships for prisoners.

PK. Odessa Prison closed in 2020 and the prisoners were transferred to other prisons throughout Ukraine.¹ Those incarcerated in Kharkiv ² found themselves at the heart of the conflict, which broke out in February 2022. They were in prison when the bombings started.

Most incarcerated mothers were released due to the war, however, leaving prison is often very difficult for them. They have trouble finding a job and a place to live. Before the conflict, organisations would help prisoners during their release, but the situation is more complicated now.

These women are often forced to return to the same environment that they grew up in before they were incarcerated. They can’t count on the support of their relatives, with whom they often have poor relationships. Many don’t have family or friends and find themselves totally alone when they are released from prison. In the film, we explore the subject of isolation and the impact it has on prisoners in depth. When children turn three years old, they are no longer permitted to stay with their mothers and instead risk being sent to an orphanage if no relatives are able to care for them.