Calling the Shots

Canada's iconic filmmaking duo takes us behind the walls of the women's prison in Kingston, Ontario, turning the camera on five incarcerate women who share stories and affirm the complexities of humanity with their poignant and humorous frankness.

The film unfolds to reveal some of the filmmaker's friends who lead alternative lifestyles. We meet transsexuals, homosexuals, hookers, transvestites and female impersonators.

Filmmakers Holly Dale and Janis Cole explore the culture of Davie Street, located in the underbelly of Vancouver, where dozens of prostitutes work and live every day. Surprisingly, they find that the sex trade there is stable and largely non-violent, and that the women who work on Davie Street meet daily to discuss safety and health issues and don't use pimps. The film also includes candid interviews with the prostitutes and footage of negotiations with potential clients.