DANCES WITH FILMS NEW YORK 2026 REVIEW! In the powerful documentary short In Exchange for Flesh, directors Sandro Ramani and Corey Devon Arthur tell the story of two incarcerated whistleblowers in the New York State prison system. Arthur is one of the whistleblowers, and Sara Keilly, a transgender woman, is the other. The two lay out what “strip searches” look like, when they happen, and the psychological effects they have on incarcerated people.
“…two incarcerated whistleblowers in the New York State prison system.”
Everyone is told that strip searches are for the protection of everyone in the prison. But everyone knows this is bullshit because nothing dangerous can be passed through the rectum. Arthur and Keilly walk us through the process step-by-step: the commands, the forced nudity, the exposure and vulnerability, and the repetition of the process. It can be invoked at any time for any reason. Most of the time, the reason is pure humiliation, submission, and control.
Getting the message out about abuse in the New York State prison system has done some good, but now, Arthur and Keilly will always be marked as snitches in the eyes of the guards. I believe in justice, but I also believe in dignity. In Exchange for Flesh exposes the gray area between justice and rehabilitation and makes clear that the incarcerated are human beings. It’s not that strip searches aren’t necessary — it’s that prisoners aren’t toys to be played with at the whim of those in charge.
In Exchange for Flesh screened at the 2026 Dances with Films New York.
