Movie

Punishment

20241h 45m

Documentary

Punishment follows the experiences of four inmates in Norway's Halden Maximum Security Prison who have chosen to enter a three-week silent retreat. Guided by two prison chaplains, they face the past, the tipping point that led to their actions, the reality of their crimes, and where it has led them, to give themselves an opportunity to move forward. Through the exercises, tasks, and meditative reflection, each man takes a personal journey inward to face the man looking back at them from the mirror. Punishment evolves into a prism for gauging the existential landscape of the convicted as we observe each man taking these steps, looking beyond the question of religious belief to their belief about themselves and their worthiness of redemption.

Directed by:

Øystein Mamen