WAMG First look at ‘The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo’

We all like to joke, and have fun here at WAMG, but sometimes there is a movie that comes out that really opens your eyes to a major epidemic. In this case the movie is The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo. Lisa F. Jackson has created what could be on of the greatest documentaries to shed some light on what is really going on outside the US. Here is the synopsis from Women Make Movies:

“Shot in the war zones of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), this extraordinary film shatters the silence that surrounds the shocking plight of women and girls caught in this country’s intractable conflict.

Since 1998 a brutal war has ravaged the DRC, killing over 4 million people and resulting in many tens of thousands of women and girls being systematically kidnapped, raped, mutilated and tortured by soldiers from both foreign militias and the Congolese army. Until now, the stories of these women have never been told to the rest of the world. A survivor of gang rape herself, Emmy-Award winning filmmaker Lisa Jackson travels through the DRC to understand what is happening and why. This moving documentary, produced in association with HBO Documentary Films and the Fledgling Fund, features interviews with activists, peace keepers, physicians, and even – chillingly – the indifferent rapists who are all soldiers of the Congolese Army. But the most moving and harrowing moments of the film come as dozens of survivors recount their stories with an honesty and immediacy pulverizing in its intimacy and detail. Heart-wrenching in its portrayal of the grotesque realities of life in Congo, this powerful film also provides inspiring examples of resiliency, resistance, courage and grace.”

This movie is premiering at Sundance and if you are going, be sure to check this out. It looks to not disappoint.

Check out Women Make Movies for more info on the movie, ordering, and promo pictures. They will also be distributing the movie.

Go and watch the trailer here