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Break the Silence: Reproductive & Sexual Health Stories

Break the Silence features raw, powerful, intimate interviews with 18 transgender and cisgender women about their personal sexual & reproductive health histories. Women from a diverse range of backgrounds candidly recount their histories of sex ed, early sexual experiences, abortion, birth control, relationships, gender transition, menstruation, STIs, gynecological exams, sexual assault, pregnancy, pleasure, and much more. Break the Silence challenges social taboo with unflinching candor, courageous vulnerability, and often great humor.

  • Willow O'Feral
    Director
  • Haptic Pictures
    Producer
  • Brad Heck
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    59 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 1, 2018
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival
    Middlebury VT
    United States
    August 26, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Mendocino Film Festival
    Mendocino CA
    United States
    June 3, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Green Mountain Film Festival
    Montpelier VT
    United States
    March 25, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Machina Arts/Community Screening
    Keene, NH
    United States
    August 31, 2018
  • Oddfellows Hall/Community Screening
    Mendocino, CA
    United States
    February 24, 2018
  • Next Stage Arts/Community Screening
    Putney
    United States
    November 29, 2018
  • Marlboro College/Community Screening
    Marlboro
    United States
    November 8, 2018
  • BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AWARD
    La Frontera Queer Film Festival
    United States
    June 28, 2019
    Brownsville, TX
    BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Director Biography - Willow O'Feral

Willow O’Feral is an award-winning director, producer and cinematographer of two feature documentary films 'Break the Silence: Reproductive & Sexual Health Stories,' and 'Arming Sisters,' about Native American women survivors of sexual assault working to restore tribal sovereignty, recently awarded a Vision Maker Media grant. Her documentary 'Break the Silence' was awarded the 2019 Best Feature Documentary at La Frontera Queer Film Festival, and also the Choice Champion Award by Planned Parenthood of New England. Willow was a Fledgling Fellow at the 2018 DX Investigative Film Festival in Washington DC, and she is a member of New Day Films, the longest running distribution cooperative for independent documentary filmmakers. Willow has worked on independent feature narrative films as 2nd Unit Cinematographer, Stills Photographer, and in the Art Department, and co-directed the short-form documentary ‘Mike Seeler: Biohacker,’ for BRIC Media in NY.

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Director Statement

I made 'Break the Silence' because it’s a film I wanted to see. I wanted to hear women’s voices: raw, direct, courageous in their vulnerability, liberated from the everyday oppression and silencing that happens around our sexual and reproductive realities. I want a future where all people are free from sexual violence and gendered oppression; a future where all people have access to comprehensive, accurate, pleasure-based, queer-and-trans-inclusive sexual education, and comprehensive universal sexual and reproductive healthcare. I believe storytelling is the most effective way to change hearts and minds, and 'Break the Silence' is a powerful argument in favor of that bright future.