Contact Us FAQ Français
Home / No Past to Speak Of - DVD

No Past to Speak Of - DVD ONF/NFB


Catalogue Number:  NFB541421
Producer:  National Film Board Of Canada
Producers:  Jeremy Gans, Wilson Lee, Andrew Gregg
Directors:  Jeremy Gans
Producing Agencies:  Minute:Thirty Productions (Toronto)
Subject:  Black History, Documentary, Family Studies/Home Economics, Global Studies, Health and Medicine, Safety
Language:  English
Country Of Origin:  Canada
Copyright Year:  2007
Running Time:  55:04


Click here for pricing
No Past To Speak Of explores the horrific reality of infant rape in South Africa and investigates the story of a five-month-old baby girl who was brutally raped in a Johannesburg slum.

Ten days after the incident, little Vyanna was brought into the home of Claudia Ford, an African-American academic who immigrated to South Africa in 1994. Claudia is faced with the immense task of undoing Vyanna’s past and introducing love and stability to a life that has had neither.

We follow Claudia as she embarks upon a campaign to end the culture of shame and silence that South African society has imposed upon little Vyanna, as well as other “victims” of rape.

The documentary also investigates why infant rape occurs in South Africa more than anywhere else in the world. At the same time, it critically examines the myth that sex with a virgin can cure a man of HIV/AIDS, and the role the media has played in disseminating this myth. The film also looks at South Africa's violent history, pervasive gender inequality, and extreme disparity between the rich and the poor as possible underlying explanations for these unimaginable crimes.


Browse Our Collection By Subject

View All Subjects