50 Years Of Silence is a 1994 documentary film that tells the story of Japanese war rape victim Jan Ruff-O'Herne.[1]
| 50 Years Of Silence | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Ned Lander with Carol Ruff and James Bradley |
| Written by | Carol Sklan Jan Ruff-O'Herne |
| Produced by | Carol Ruff Ned Lander |
| Cinematography | John Whitteron Joel Peterson |
| Edited by | James Bradley |
Release date |
|
Running time | 57 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Reception edit
In the Sunday Telegraph Sean Day-Lewis says Ruff-O'Herne "courageously and poignantly tells of her months providing as little comfort as she could after being forced to serve in a Japanese army brothel.."[2] Martin Massingberd wrote in the Daily Telegraph that is "was an inspiring film about a remarkable woman, whose undimmed warmth and sympath shone through her appalling ordeal as a triumph of the human spirit."[3] Michael Hutak of the Sydney Morning Herald writes "This film stands as a lasting testimony of those atrocities and a plea for victims to break the cycle of guilt and speak out."[4] Robin Oliver, also of the Sydney Morning Herald, states "The shattering contents of this documentary overwhelm the viewer and it is difficult to look beyond the story of Jan Ruff-O'Herne and consider the film itself, which is often disjointed and poorly edited."[5]
Awards edit
- 1994 Australian Film Institute Awards
- Best Documentary - Ned Lander, Carol Ruff and James Bradley - won[6]
References edit
- ^ Greenwood, Helen (14 July 1996), "Horror of war rape exposed", The Sydney Morning Herald
- ^ Day-Lewis, Sean (30 July 1995), "Witness: Fifty Years Of Silence", The Sunday Telegraph
- ^ Massingberd, Martin (2 August 1995), "Lessons in history from flickering footage", The Daily Telegraph
- ^ Hutak, Michael (15 July 1996), "An end to barbarism", The Sydney Morning Herald
- ^ Oliver, Robin (26 September 1994), "Forgotten victims", The Sydney Morning Herald
- ^ French, Lisa; Poole, Mark (2009). Shining a Light: 50 Years of the Australian Film Institute. Australian Teachers of Media. p. 257. ISBN 978-1-876467-20-3.