IRFF26 Testimony

TESTIMONY is a feature documentary that tells a story of an extraordinary group of women, supported by the activist organisation Justice for Magdalenes, whose battle to hold the Irish government accountable for the abuses of the Magdalene Laundries, Mother and Baby Home institutions and forced family separation, takes them all the way to the United Nations. The Magdalene Laundries, operated by religious orders with state complicity, imprisoned and dehumanised women under the guise of moral rehabilitation. Survivors endured forced labour, physical and emotional abuse, and the lifelong stigma of being labelled "fallen." The cruelty extended into Mother and Baby Homes, where unwed mothers were coerced into surrendering their children for adoption—many of these separations executed in secrecy and without consent. These homes also subjected residents to horrifying practices, including vaccine trials and human trafficking. Amidst this struggle, TESTIMONY finds hope and resilience, providing survivors with long-overdue recognition, offering a moment of healing as they share their stories and reclaim their narratives.