Completed - ENGLISH - Documentary, Family
Once the innocent and forgotten victims of domestic violence, children break the silence and secrecy of family abuse for the first time in Let’s Talk About It, a documentary directed by Deepa Mehta.
Year of production : 2006 Director(s) : Deepa MEHTA Writer(s) : Noemi WEIS Producer(s) : Noemi WEIS (Filmblanc)
Once the innocent and forgotten victims of domestic violence, children break the silence and secrecy of family abuse for the first time in Let’s Talk About It, a documentary directed by Deepa Mehta. A compelling and purposeful call to action, the one-hour documentary puts a voice and a face to the global epidemic that is breeding a new generation of abusers. Already, over one million Canadian families have experienced some form of domestic abuse this year, according to Statistics Canada. Fusing the structured first-person story-telling techniques of the documentary with the revealing and spontaneous tell-it-like-it-is conversations between parent and child, Mehta has created a chilling landscape with the cautionary tales of three immigrant women who share their stories of domestic violence and the resulting negative impact and influence on their children from their exposure to violence in the home. Mehta’s journey into the dark corners of familial abuse among immigrants is uniquely and cleverly crafted to be the catalyst for open dialogue and discussion among all ethnic and cultural communities. Offering the first ever glimpse into the hush hush world of domestic violence from the perspective of its youngest prey, Mehta arms the subjects’ offspring with video cameras and an assignment to interview their respective parents. Unprompted, their interviews are jolting reminders that silence and secrecy are the domains of domestic violence and the killers of innocence. They are also inspiring profiles of courage, hope and determination. As a documentary director, Deepa Mehta is a master of the exposé, she has elevated the issue of domestic violence in such a way that we can no longer turn the other cheek or sweep this growing epidemic under the carpet. Let’s Talk About It reveals the unstudied facet of domestic violence that is born in certain cultural and ethnic traditions and beliefs. Deepa’s take on the documentary is the following: “Children are our greatest teachers and I hope this film helps to fuel meaningful action and commitment to stop the cycle of family abuse and give voice to every child and parent living in the unspoken despair of an abusive home.”
Country(ies) : CANADA