Every year since 2011, the Joliette Institution for Women provides a jury of five inmates. The women screen eight films from the festival’s program and select one as the winner. The winning film is awarded a prize at the festival’s closing ceremony in November.

The Women Inmate Jury Award :

2023 - Má Sài Gon (Mother Saigon) by Khoa Lê

2022 - Big Fight in Little Chinatown by Karen Cho

2019 - nîpawistamâsowin : nous nous lèverons by Tasha Hubbard

2018 - Point d'équilibre by Christine Chevarie-Lessard 

2017 - Bagages by Paul Tom

2016 - Angry Inuk by Alethea Arnaquq-Baril

2015 - Retour aux sources by Jean-Sébastien Francoeur and Andrew Marchand-Boddy 

2014 - Examen d'État by Dieudo Hamadi

2013 - Expedition to the End of the World by Daniel Dencik

2012 - 5 Broken Cameras d’Emad Burnat by Guy Davidi

2011 - Bouton by Res Balzli

Sadly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the jury was not able to give the award in 2020 and in 2021.

These activities are supported by the Quebec chapter of the Elizabeth Fry Society and Médiations culturelles MTL program, thanks to the 'Entente sur le développement culturel de Montréal' between the Ville de Montréal and Quebec government.