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Survivor! 98 Second Stories

Survivor! Share Your 98 Second Story is a cinéma vérité short documentary capturing the courage, resilience, and conviction of 21 contemporary artists sharing spoken-word stories in a live public art project confronting sexual violence in the United States. Each artist speaks for 98 seconds, a time chosen to reflect the staggering statistic that a sexual assault occurred every 98 seconds in the U.S., turning personal testimony into transformative art.

The project was conceived and directed by Elizabeth Tobias, a sexual assault survivor and former domestic violence counselor, who created this film in response to the escalating sexual assault epidemic and to give survivors a powerful platform for their voices. Filmed live for Diverse Art LA at The Los Angeles Art Show, the documentary reflects Tobias’ lifelong dedication to using creativity to heal, educate, and inspire social change.

Winner of Best New Director at the Mediterranean Film Festival in Cannes and recipient of the Special Recognition Award from the Impact Doc Awards, the film was also officially selected for the Madrid Film Awards, Rome Prisma Awards, Compassion Film Festival, We Choose Art: A Feminist Perspective, In(Justice) for All Film Festival, and the Chelsea Film Festival.

Through her fusion of art, activism, and filmmaking, Tobias illuminates the emotional depth and resilience of survivors, demonstrating how creativity can confront urgent social issues, foster healing, and inspire communities to act.

  • Elizabeth Tobias
    Director
  • Elizabeth Tobias
    Writer
  • Elizabeth Tobias
    Producer
  • Elizabeth Tobias
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Dawniel Carlock Stewart
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Naomi Tara
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Smile Garcia
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Tara Graviss
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Ryan Freeze
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Coco
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Robyn Alatorre
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Aliza Bejarano
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Catherine Singer
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Jennifer Korsen
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Kayla Cloonan
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Felis Stella
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Ciana Lee
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Yolie
    Key Cast
    "Self "
  • Ruthy Jane
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Jessica
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Jen Snoeyink
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Joi Cole
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Alexandria Yalj
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Kellie Gillespie
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Jason Jenn, Vojislav Rad
    Videography and Editing
  • Judith Essex, Wes Chester, Peter Mays, Kristine Schomaker
    Special Thanks
  • Tara J. Atkinson
    Composer, Cellist
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Women's Rights, Sexual Assault, #MeToo, Human Rights, Spoken Word, Short Documentary, ArtFilm
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 12 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 28, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    8,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Mediterranean Film Festival Cannes
    Cannes
    France
    November 30, 2019
    Cannes Debut
    Best New Director
  • Impact Doc Awards
    San Diego, CA
    United States
    July 31, 2019
    Winner Special Recognition Award
  • In(Justice) For All FIlm Festival
    Chicago, IL
    United States
    October 3, 2019
    Official Selection
  • We Choose Art, A Feminist Perspective
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    May 28, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Rome Prisma Awards
    Rome
    Italy
    January 31, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Compassion Film Festival
    Carbondale, CO
    United States
    August 7, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Madrid Film Awards
    Madrid
    Spain
    January 15, 2021
    Semi-Finalist
Director Biography - Elizabeth Tobias

Elizabeth Tobias is a creative risk-taker working across film, visual art, and live experience, using creativity as a pathway for healing, connection, and social change. Her work lives at the intersection of art and mental health, where she designs workshops, programs, and exhibitions that create safe, inclusive spaces for expression, reflection, and belonging.

Shaped by her own journey through trauma and loss, Elizabeth found in Expressive Arts a language for what once had no words. That discovery continues to inform her practice, which she now shares with survivors, students, communities, and organizations seeking resilience, renewal, and deeper human connection.

Through Elizabeth Tobias Arts, she creates experiences that awaken empathy, strengthen emotional well-being, and ignite collective imagination. Whether leading hands-on workshops, curating transformative exhibitions, producing films, or speaking on platforms such as TEDx, her mission is to help people transform their stories into sources of strength. Her work is ultimately about helping people feel seen, supported, and connected and about demonstrating how creativity opens the door to healing, courage and possibility.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I was five years old when I experienced sexual abuse at the hands of a teenage family friend. That moment shaped my life and fueled a deep commitment to bear witness, to amplify survivor voices, and to create art that transforms pain into empowerment. My career as a filmmaker, Expressive Arts therapist, and former domestic violence counselor has been dedicated to working at the intersection of art, mental health, and social impact, helping people process trauma, find their voice, and connect with one another.

Survivor! Share Your 98 Second Story is the culmination of this mission. This filmed live performance captures the courage of 21 contemporary artists who used their creativity to confront the staggering reality that a sexual assault occurs every 98 seconds in America. Each artist shares their story for 98 seconds, transforming time itself into a symbol of urgency, resistance, and resilience.

As a director, I approach storytelling with empathy, cultural responsiveness, and trauma-informed care, creating space for honesty, vulnerability, and transformation.

Through cinéma vérité filmmaking, I seek to honor the lived experience of survivors, reveal the emotional depth of the participants, and invite audiences to witness courage, resilience, and hope.

This project is about belief, justice, and action. We believe you.