Tapestries of Hope
| Subjects: Abuse, Activism, African Studies, Anthropology, Child Abuse, Community, Current Events, HIV-AIDS, Human Rights, Law, Political Science, Sexual Abuse, Sociology, Violence Against Women, Women's Studies | ||||
It is a common myth promoted by traditional healers in Zimbabwe that a man infected with HIV/AIDS can cure himself by having sex with a virgin. Some victims are very young – even baby girls. Director Michealene Cristini Risley traveled to Zimbabwe to explore the rape and AIDS crisis in the country, to uncover its impact on young girls, and to highlight the work of The Girl Child Network (GCN). Founded by Zimbabwean human rights activist and child abuse survivor Betty Makoni, GCN rescues and helps heal abused girls. Part of the healing process is speaking out about the crimes committed against them, not an easy task in a country that ostracizes these young female victims. The documentary interweaves the girls’ heart-breaking stories with the true confession of a dying man who raped young women believing it would cure his AIDS. During filming, Risley and her assistant were arrested and deported by Zimbabwean authorities. Their footage was seized by the Zimbabwean Intelligence Office (C.I.O), though the team managed to later retrieve the footage. Tapestries of Hope is a portrait of hope and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds, and a vibrant call to action to stop the rape and abuse of women in Zimbabwe, and wherever it may occur around the globe. "Highly recommended. Michealene Cristini Risley's powerful documentary is shocking, chilling, yet heartening by turns, showing the difference that Betty Makoni is making and how her work with the Girl Child Network is trying to counter the horrible sexual violence against women in Zimbabwe, generated by the promotion of a superstitious fallacy."
- Educational Media Reviews Online “The footage Risley captured – particularly interviews with rape survivors and admitted rapists alike – is an incredibly compelling 77 minutes. The most striking element of the documentary is not the hell that the young rape survivors profiled have lived through, but their unbreakable spirit. The film is a vibrant international call to action and a breathtaking portrait of hope in the face of overwhelming odds. ” - Jessica Mosby, TheWIP.net |
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Awards:
Best Documentary, Women in Film & Television
Best Director, Women in Film & Television
Aloha Accolade Award, Honolulu Int’l Film Festival
Award of Merit, Accolade Film Awards
Best Documentary, Louisville Int’l Festival of Film
Award of Excellence, The Indie Fest
Best Documentary, Women in Film & Television
Best Director, Women in Film & Television
Aloha Accolade Award, Honolulu Int’l Film Festival
Award of Merit, Accolade Film Awards
Best Documentary, Louisville Int’l Festival of Film
Award of Excellence, The Indie Fest
| Related Titles | Clip | Producer |
|---|---|---|
| AIDS - A South African Horror Story | BBC |
AIDS - A South African Horror Story
The incidence of child rape in South Africa has doubled each year...