Film Lens
Scheherazade's Diary is a 2013 film directed by Zeina Daccache that focuses on the women inmates of Lebanon's Baabda Prison. The film captures their personal experiences with patriarchy as they prepare for the first theatre performance staged inside an Arab women's prison. Filmed during and after a ten-month drama therapy project in 2012, it features the women sharing stories of domestic violence, traumatic childhoods, failed marriages, and the deprivation of motherhood.
The film interweaves rehearsal scenes with live performance footage, testimonials, and backstage moments. This approach allows the audience to witness both the artistic expression of the inmates and the raw emotions tied to their personal narratives, providing insight into their lives and struggles within the prison system.
Why Watch
- •See women inmates perform in Lebanon's Baabda Prison.
- •Meet the women sharing stories of domestic violence.
- •Find out about the first theatre performance in an Arab women's prison.
Did You Know
•The film won the FIPRESCI prize at the 10th Annual Dubai International Film Festival in December 2013.
•It received the GOLD FIFOG award for best documentary at the FIFOG film festival in Geneva in April 2014.
•The film was awarded the Human Rights Award at the FIDADOC film festival in Agadir, Morocco, in May 2014.
•It was recognized as Best Arab Film at the Cairo International Film Festival on November 18, 2014.
Perfect For
Documentary enthusiastsTheatre loversHuman rights advocates