In 2004, an experimental court was created in Queens, New York City, to counter the way women arrested for prostitution get trapped in the criminal justice system. Through a program of six counselling sessions, the defendants can have their records wiped clean instead of pleading guilty or fighting charges. Through intimate and immersive vérité, Blowin' Up takes us right inside the walls of that innovative tribunal, where all workers—starting with non-judgmental judge Toko Serita—firmly believe the accused simply don't belong in a courtroom. They do their best to create a safe and supportive environment for the sex workers, who in vast majority are undocumented Asian migrants, African-Americans and minors. Giving a voice to the women at the centre of it all, Stephanie Wang-Breal's patient filmmaking reveals their stories and the necessity of a more humane justice system—unfortunately threatened today by the new White House administration. Charlotte Selb