This was one of the highlights of 2024 in a year where South Asian women led work has really enjoyed a focus…
By Suman Bhuchar
CHLOE ABRAHAMS’ film, which won the Best Documentary Audience Award BFI London Film Festival 2023 and the Best Debut Director Award, British Independent Film Awards 2023, took her five years to make.
It is an important and in some ways urgent story because it breaks the taboo surrounding sexual abuse within families – three women open up about their experiences with the important men in their lives – in this film, their husbands and fathers…
This story of generational trauma explored through the lives of her relationship to Abraham’s mum, Rozana, and grandmother, Jean, is sensitively portrayed through intimate conversations with the women and evocation of memory: “Whenever I think of you, a taste of mango appears in my mouth and I am transported back” her mother says about a time when she was carrying Chloe.
Some of the early camera work is shaky and it’s shot in a variety of formats like camcorder and phone before eventually getting some support from the BFI Doc Society*.
Abraham’s mother was 26 and pregnant with Chloe, when she left Sri Lanka and came to the UK.
“A year before I was beaten by my stepfather,” Rozana says (and maybe also abused).
Her grandmother, Jean has chosen to stay with an abuser for over 40 years although he abused her daughter (i.e. Chloe’s Mum) and then gives her away at her wedding.
Rozana’s real father died when he was quite young.
Abrahams’ excavation of her family story in how these three women are able to come together and talk candidly to try and process the abuse and trauma is very moving. There are intimate scenes in the family home, celebrating Jean’s birthday or just huddling together in bed.
This is a lyrical honest and must see film that will help to lift the shame victims may feel about their experiences and encourage more understanding and sympathy – and in the wake of the powerful Gisele Pelicot in France concluding – show that it is the who must face up to a life of shame and rejection.
ACV rating: **** (four out of five)
This film was released in the UK in cinema theatres at the end of last month
Our interview with director Chloe Abrahams
