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Audience responses

• Actress Glenn Close comments
• Comments from audiences at the Tribeca Film Festival, New York, May 2004
• Audience comments from around the world

Actress Glenn Close comments

Actress Glenn Close was one of the judges at the Tribeca Film festival. In an interview she gave to the director, she describes her reaction to the film:

"I was profoundly moved by it. It starts in a terrible event that really changes the landscape of a family, and tells the story not only of that family - the courage of the daughter who is determined to help her mother find closure, and the courage of the mother who in the end comes to life when she realises that attention is being paid and there is a possibility for some sort of justice - but also the wider picture of what is going on with this issue in South Africa and across the world. So the film starts very specifically and tells this really riveting story, and puts it in a greater context.

"I think it's a tremendously important movie for anyone who cares about violence against women and anyone who cares about the viability of a family, and healing as opposed to just hopeless destruction. I was really taken by this movie, and hope that everyone will have a chance to see it and be strengthened by it and inspired by it and healed by it."

Comments from audiences at the Tribeca Film Festival, New York, May 2004

"It’s a brilliant film, you’re not just a great filmmaker, you’re also a courageous daughter and a wonderful sister. Thank you. I really loved this film.

"It’s an incredible film and I hope that all due justice is done at the end of this film in other countries."

"It was a great film, thank you so much. It’s very empowering and I recommend it to everyone all over the world, especially men, check it out."

"I think you did a tremendous job, great, great film. Your objectivity in such a personal matter was fabulous."

"For myself, as a man, seeing the men in the film, the one South African man talk about his girlfriend that had been raped and how he felt so passionately about it made me connect a lot more with the issue of rape than I had ever before been able to, and particularly your brother Michael, made me feel that it was my own issue as well as his. It was awesome."

"I actually just wanted to say that this is a subject that is very close to my heart because I do work in women’s shelters and I am an activist in trying to keep everyone informed and I just wanted to say that this is a subject that is usually done in a very sterile, cold manner and I was very impressed and very proud to hear you speak and to see the film and to realise that it can be done with a touch of humanity to it . It was wonderful."

"Thank you so much for making this movie, it was extremely emotional, very moving, and something very personal to me, just even having friends who have been raped, and as an American, and as someone who is African as well, and as a woman, I felt it spoke to my heart on so many different levels. I feel the movie’s very healing for me, and I can’t wait to tell other people about it to make them see it. It had a really powerful message, and it was just very healing for me and I’m glad I got to see the movie. Thank you it was excellent."

"Just really moved, I think you’re amazing, the movie was amazing and your mother is very heartwarming, and I really appreciate it."

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Audience comments from around the world

Dear Cathy,

I am a 38-year-old New Yorker taking my first documentary film class, learning about documentary production and research. It's taken me a long time to be able to try to follow my own heart, but I am hoping to become a filmmaker to have work, and a life, that is meaningful to me. I've been watching many documentaries over the last few months and just this minute finished watching yours.

Thank you so much for making it. It is very moving to watch. My eyes filled with tears of happiness to see your mother smiling so broadly at the end and wearing her swimming "costume." Your love for her shines through each moment of this film.

I hope you are both flourishing.

Sincerely,
Allison Rudesyle

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