Women in White (2009)

Women In White is a documentary about what happened when the Cuban government sent 75 men to prison for daring to speak of democracy, of human rights and freedom for all. Over three nights in the so-called "Black Spring" of 2003, these men - journalists, lawyers, economists and human rights advocates - were arrested in their homes, prosecuted and accused of treason. They were sentenced to between 20 and 30 years in prison, effectively silencing critical discourse in Cuba. The women left behind; wives, sisters and daughters refused to accept the injustice that had torn their families apart. Together they invented a unique, non-violent form of protest against the regime. Enraged by the power of this peaceful demonstration, the Castro regime closely monitors the protesters' every move. Yet the women are undeterred. In 2005 they were honored with the prestigious EU Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought - but their own government prevented them from attending the ceremony. For the first time, in this film, they share their stories with the world.