Life Inside Out

Life Inside Out

| 1 h 13 min
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This documentary takes us inside the walls of Grand Valley Institution—one of five federal prisons for women in Canada. Here, most residents live in small shared houses, in an environment that is supposed to be female-friendly. The film features three unforgettable women over age 50 doing time in a system that can seem designed to frustrate and baffle. Vietnamese Kim struggles with translation and awaits a parole board hearing that seems to never come, while Pearl relies on her faith in God to stay positive throughout the hard reality of prison life. Finally, T.A.'s larger-than-life outlook serves her well, whether she's fighting for greater access and rights for prisoners or composing and performing her own country-tinged musical compositions. While the film doesn't idealize these flawed characters, it also advances the notion that those who have committed crimes deserve to be treated with dignity.

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Life Inside Out, Sarah Zammit, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

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Credits
  • writer
    Sarah Zammit
  • director
    Sarah Zammit
  • producer
    Peter Starr
  • director of photography
    Joan Hutton
  • editor
    Lawrence Jackman
  • location sound
    Steve McNamee
  • sound editor
    Barry Gilmore
    Kathy Choi
  • assistant sound editor
    Jean Bot
  • location management
    Nancy Cutting
  • additional camera
    Stanislaw Barua
    Sarah Zammit
  • additional sound
    Jason Milligan
    Ao Loo
    Tom Bilenkey
    Eric Fitz
  • interpreter
    An Do
    Quyn Dang
  • production photographer
    Pamela Gawn
  • transcription
    Sarah sharkey-Pearce
  • on-line
    Sylvain Desbiens
  • colour correction
    Sylvain Desbiens
  • re-recording
    Luc Léger
  • budget officer
    Ida Di Fruscia
  • senior administrative assistant
    Joanne Forrest
  • production secretary
    Corinne Herman
  • technical coordinator
    Mark Wilson
    Branden Bratuhin
  • marketing manager
    Sue Mander
  • production coordinator
    Anousheh Showleh
    Lisa Broadfoot
  • production supervisor
    Kemp Archibald
  • line producer
    Douglas MacFarlane
  • executive producer
    Silva Basmajian
  • participant
    Corinna McMaster
    Clover Woolcock
    Tamara Becker
    Meachel Chad
    Hal Matson
    Joey
    Doreen
    Terry Shelswell
    Bobby Bala
    Nicki Smith
    Charlene
    Charlene Campbell
    Amy Bowden
    An Bui
    Carole Clapperton
    Christie Jefferson
    Sandra
    Mitch
 See also
Women
Law and Crime
All subjects
Add a new comment
  • None

    By American Standards this would be known as "Camp Cupcake" When I saw it looked like an Estate specializing in Subsidized Housing. You also know it's a Canadian Documentary when you hear the word "Eh". Kim & Pearl are so unlucky. They come to Canada for what they hoped would be a better life and they get treated like crap. In The Us 70% of women who are incarcerated are African American 20% are Hispanic and only 10% are White. Now more than ever most go to Prison because of their addiction to Prescription Pills and do all kinds of stunts to get them.

    None, 3 Dec 2020
  • None

    This is really touching

    None, 14 Feb 2019

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