Break the Silence is a unique project bringing four Cannes-awarded film directors together with the purpose of using film as a tool to break the culture of silence around abuse and sexual exploitation of children. Film have the ability to engage our senses and emotions, creating opportunities for reflections and discussions. The project consists of four individual short films by Cannes nominated directors: Frida Kempff, Simón Mesa Soto, Anahita Ghazvinizadeh and Sonejuni Sinha. Each film illustrates different aspects of abuse and are set in different parts of the world: India, Colombia, Sweden and the United States. The films have achieved international success and are distributed with a film guide designed to stimulate discussions and actions against sexualized violence.Break the Silence was initiated by Change Attitude in collaboration with Momento film and was made possible by the generous support by The Swedish Postal Code Foundation. Break the Silence is now used by i.e. Save the Children, The European Women’s network against Sexual Violence and promoted by the Swedish Institute to all Swedish Embassies and consulates worldwide as a valuable tool to push the sustainable goals – Agenda 2030, target 16.2, “End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children”. Please see the website of the Swedish Institute https://sharingsweden.se/toolkits/never-violence Would you like to use BREAK THE SILENCE? Please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

MADRE

Simón Mesa Soto examines what consequences the demand for child sexual abuse material might have on economically disadvantaged people in Colombia. Sixteen-year-old Andrea lives together with her mother and sister in a socially and economically deprived area in the mountainous region of Medellín in Colombia. She is catching the bus into town to participate in an adult film casting.

DEAR KID

Frida Kempff, Sweden, sheds a light on reactions and responses when an adult becomes witness to a possible abusive situation involving a child. Dear Kid revolves around guilt and responsibility. During a swimming practice a mother starts to feel uneasy about the coach’s relation to one of the children. But without any proof she faces a dilemma; to make an accusation of the worst kind, or to ignore a child who is possibly getting abused.

MILES OF SAND

Sonejuhi Sinha explores sexual and psychological child abuse through the lens of child marriage in a rural community in Rahjastan, India. A single mother and her daughter in rural India has to pay a heavy price to repay the mother’s debts.

WHAT REMAINS

Anahita Ghazvinizadeh, USA, explores the relation between memory, recollection and abuse. When sexual exploitation from the childhood becomes a silent secret, it turns into a memory that affects a young woman emotionally and mentally as she faces the present. After moving from Iran to the US, Leila spends a day at the suburban house of her uncle Reza who she last met 13 years ago as a young girl. Reza, his daughter, and his colleagues get together to welcome Leila.