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Creative expression

A significant milestone in Laura's recovery from her sexual assault is the first few notes she plays on the piano.

Her music was always very important to her, but in the darkest years of her depression - a result of post-traumatic stress disorder - she had no desire to play the piano.

With the support of Cathy, Laura is encouraged to play the piano again and re-igniting her 'creative' stream plays a significant part in her recovery. By the end of the film's production, Laura is even able to play Chopin - and her performance not only forms part of the film's narrative, but becomes part of the film's soundtrack.

'At first my mother did not want to appear in the film,' says Cathy, 'but as time progressed, she began to see the value in telling her story and the greater impact her presence would have in the film. She began to feel that perhaps, finally, some good may come of this terrible trauma. By the end she was completely willing to expose every aspect of her story and to show the real depths of the despair she had reached in its aftermath. She also surprised herself by finding that she could still play the piano, something she had not done since the assault, and that other aspects of her creative life were returning.'

Laura has since embarked on public storytelling and poetry writing.