Breaking through barriers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reveals the ravages of a decade-long civil war. The myriad of casualties is overwhelming, but most disturbing is when victims remain silent and invisible.
While some documentaries address humanitarian issues from a distance, the most powerful provide a direct voice from survivors who are willing to recount their stories. The Greatest Silence shares the intimate, harrowing, and unfathomable stories of many women who have been systematically kidnapped, raped, mutilated, and tortured by soldiers from both foreign militias and the Congolese army.
Emmy Award-winning director Lisa F. Jackson spent a year in the war zones of eastern DRC, gaining the trust of many participants during her travels to hospitals, shelters, and remote jungle villages.What sets her film apart is her willingness to approach soldiers from the Congolese army who recount their horrendous acts and appear to lack any remorse or accountability.
Jackson’s own history as a rape survivor brings her closer to her subjects, while their testimony shows their strength, dignity and perseverance to move forward in their lives and not hide in the shadows of their terror.
Program Notes by Alex Rogalski
