Debut

Eleven out of over 1,500 women who are detained in a Belarus prison for first-time offenders have volunteered to take part in a theater play. The rehearsals serve as the leitmotif for this balanced portrait that subtly frees these women from the stigma of being criminals. They miss their families and wrestle with the guilt of losing so many years behind bars. The long-awaited premiere of the play will take place in City Drama Theater. Prisoners will leave the premises of the prison for the first time in years just for a few hours. Relatives and family will be able to witness their debut on the professional stage. By then, you almost feel as if you’ve landed in a feel-good movie with a happy ending, but the director doesn’t let it get that far.

Original title: Debut
Country: Belarus
Duration: 85 min
Language: Russian
Director: Anastasiya Miroshnichenko