Mothers Of Bedford
Mothers of Bedford is an intimate documentary filmed over four years inside Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, a maximum-security women’s prison north of New York City. The film follows five incarcerated mothers as they work to stay connected to their children, strengthen family bonds, and become their better selves while serving long-term sentences.
Through visits, parenting programs, emotional separations, and everyday moments of motherhood, the film offers a compassionate look at the impact of incarceration on mothers, children, and families. At the center of the story is Bedford’s Children’s Center, an innovative program inspired by Sister Elaine Roulet’s belief that prison bars should not separate a child from their mother’s love.
Director Jenifer McShane was drawn to the hopefulness of this work and to the complicated gray area surrounding motherhood, incarceration, guilt, accountability, and love. As a mother herself, she saw how the concerns of incarcerated mothers often echoed those of mothers everywhere, even as prison created painful distance and limited control. Mothers of Bedford gives human dimension to a rarely seen community of women, revealing resilience, transformation, and hope within prison walls.
For organizations, educators, advocates, or community groups interested in using the film for screenings, discussion, or public programming, please use the links below to learn more about acquiring or screening the film.
