Violet Gave Willingly immerses us in the colourful world of textile artist Deborah Dumka, inviting viewers to witness the unflinchingly intimate details of her artistic process and inner life. Nestled in a cluttered studio by the sea, we witness an artist at work on a project that delves into a past unspoken. An intimate study of the nature of memory and how it can both harm and protect, the film lays bare the continuum and legacy of gender-based discrimination, sexism, and sexual violence. More than a portrait, the film is a conversation. As mother and daughter struggle to give voice to their experiences, power radiates from speaking uncomfortable truths.
Directors Statement
When embarking on a documentary set in my hometown, in my childhood home, about my mother, I felt strongly that I was undertaking the filmmaking mantra of “film what you know.” What surprised me, however, was how much newness, surprise and personal revelation I found in this intimately familiar environment. I grappled with the camera - my treasured tool of engagement with the world - as in this environment it acted as an invisible shield allowing me to frame my mother’s story without examining my own. The more I questioned my mother about her own experiences with sexism, gendered discrimination and violence, the more I realized my own story of sexual violence could no longer be avoided. By sharing the struggles of a mother and daughter dancing to the edge of connection, the film projects a universal experience of parent child relations as we pass into adulthood and redefine the dynamics of power and intimacy. Beyond the personal, however, Violet Gave Willingly asks viewers to listen deeply to both what is said and what is left unsaid and, in doing so, share in carrying the heavy load of sexism and the status quo.
Content notices: sexual violence, mother/daughter relationship
Credits
Director - Claire Sanford
Producer - Claire Sanford
Starring - Deborah Dumka
Cinematography - Claire Sanford
Edit - Claire Sanford, Milena Salazar
Music - Sophia Sanford
Production company - Toolshed Creative
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