Please share the following letter... from Whiplash film page Walk for Whiplash Today, on the eve of Women’s Day, I’ll walk 26 km from the Cape Town centre to the seaside suburb of Muizenberg, wearing a petticoat and with bruises painted on my face and body. This gesture is to build support for a film that will help break the silence around the abuse of women and children. The film is called Whiplash, and is based on the award-winning novel by Tracey Farren. We aim to film in Muizenberg next March and to launch next Women’s Day, 9 August 2015. The story is about Tess and her journey to shedding the misplaced shame she feels at being abused and violated. Sadly, Tess’s story is all too common. The Medical Research Council estimates that up to 3,600 rapes happen daily in South Africa: a terrifying 1.4 million rapes a year. These are committed in a climate of impunity: amongst the small proportion that get reported, no more than one in ten result in a conviction. A culture of abuse means that for many, rape – even that of minors – is not seen as a crime so much as a daily occurrence. As a woman, mother and filmmaker I feel compelled to act against one of the most devastating plagues in our society, using the tools at my disposal – the story and the camera. However, Whiplash is not a didactic or explicit ‘messaging film’. The fact that it tells a riveting – and even hopeful – story makes it all the more powerful in promoting empathy and sparking discussion. To this end, Whiplash will be launched as part of a public awareness campaign, with screenings and discussions held in schools, prisons, civic and community spaces throughout the country. I’ve been asked, ‘Is Whiplash a feel-good film? Well, No – but it’s certainly a feel-better film. This is not a Pretty Woman fairy tale; this is a chance to fall in love with someone intrinsically beautiful who believes she is ugly. Tess is so brutally honest your skin will itch, so bitingly funny youll laugh despite oneself. Whiplash won’t leave you bleak, but rather with a sense of hope. I’m thrilled to be collaborating with an amazing team on Whiplash. We have been working for over two years to raise the finance, and wonderfully, have 70% of what we need in place, thanks to the National Film and Video Foundation and the Department of Trade and Industry. But we are struggling to raise the last 30%, a total of R1 million. To raise the remainder, the Whiplash team, led by producer Jacky Lourens, has launched a crowdfunding campaign. We know times are tight, but if you can, please consider going onto the site, investing something, and becoming part of the journey. There are some worthwhile rewards including tickets to the premiere and visits to set, and since investment starts at R100 ($10), it doesnt need to break the proverbial bank. thundafund/whiplash The Saartjie Baartman Centre, a refuge for women and children who are survivors of abuse, will receive 10% of all funds raised today and tomorrow, Women’s Day. We would also be grateful if you could please share this letter with others. With warmest regards and many thanks, Meg Rickards (Whiplash film director) thundafund/whiplash facebook/Whiplashfilm Twitter: #whiplashfilm Technical issues donating? Please contact Nazli: 078 452 74 75 or email accounts@thundafund
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 07:16:19 +0000
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