What Comes from Sitting in Silence? - True/False Film Fest
True/False Film Fest March 5-8, 2026 at Columbia, MO

What Comes from Sitting in Silence?

Within the quiet confines of a small courtroom—the first women’s Islamic-law court in Mumbai—Judge Khatoon and her team guide families and empower women to speak out against violence. ⍟ World Premiere
Director: Sophie Schrago
Runtime: 76
Fest Year: 2026
A small building bears a blue sign: “Indian Muslim Women’s Movement.” Inside is a legal aid office, where a fan whirs tirelessly, and Judge Khatoon waits for her next client. With a patient and understanding camera, Schrago builds an intimate bond with Khatoon, who founded the first women’s Islamic court in Mumbai, defying entrenched conservative power structures alongside a resolute, woman-led team. In her feature debut, Schrago’s steadfast vision immerses us in the lived rhythm of the courtroom: couples locked in domestic disputes, women arriving in search of counsel and clarity, and Khatoon deftly navigating layers of tradition and complex dynamics to shape a space rooted in safety, dialogue, and care. Schrago lingers on these revelatory exchanges, asking us not just to watch, but to sit with the cases, sit with the women, and listen—deeply. (AT)