Fighting the Silence

A woman tells in front of the camera how soldiers raped her during the war in Congo. Another interviewed victim is filmed while bathing in a lake: "Every time I smell their odour, I take a bath." By expressing themselves and attending help group meetings, raped Congolese women nowadays fight for improvement of the situation in their country. The subject is taboo; at a meeting, men first point at the women's provocative clothing. But an attending soldier extends his support to the activists, just like a reverend does, with a scathing sermon to his parishioners. The documentary swiches back and forth between hope of improvement and sorrow about the suffering caused. These extremes are best represented by two assaulted women's husbands, who first sent their defiled wives back to their families. "It is impossible to share a woman with a Burundian." But later, both men took their wives back: one of them even participates in the information meetings now. But a young tear-filled woman who tells about her rape will probably never get married. "She will become a prostitute now," her father sighs. The filmmakers meet with the condemned offender in jail, but he does not show any remorse. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)