Expanding the Audience
Fighting the Silence screens in rural Congo
Dutch filmmakers Ilse and Femke van Velzen first learned of the violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo while they were in Angola near the Congolese Border. Their interest evolved into two films, Fighting the Silence and Weapon of War and a third film in production now. Although Fighting the Silence was intended to speak to Western audiences about the atrocities being committed in the Congo, the van Velzens wanted to find a way to bring the stories back to the communities they had come from, where they might have even greater impact.
They have since collaborated with Search for Common Ground to facilitate bringing the films to rural and more remote areas. We’re also using the films in security sector reform; working directly with Congolese military units to address ways that soldiers can change their behavior and attitudes to help combat violence against women. Check out the new trailer:
Click here to see more of our work in DRC.
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