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We Hear You
In The Keepers, we see both the personal and vast toll that silence in the face of childhood sexual abuse can inflict on a community. It takes at least two people to break a secret - one to tell it, and one to listen. The We Hear You campaign seeks to arm a cadre of individuals with the skills to arrest the power of silence by being patient, loving witnesses to the pain of survivors. Rather than asking, "Why didn't you say anything?" these first responding friends and family members will say, "We Hear You. We see that you're in pain, we're here to help." We Hear You is the Social Impact Campaign launched in association with The Keepers - a 7 part documentary series, releasing May 2017. For more information about the campaign, please contact the series' Impact Producer, Christina Lindstrom.
synopsis
When the students at an all-girls Catholic high school in Baltimore found out that their favorite teacher had been killed, they were devastated. Sister Cathy's brutal murder was a heartbreaking mystery, and the majority of the students had no idea who would want to hurt such a kind and loving woman.
But some girls knew more. They knew that Father Maskell had been ritualistically abusing them for months, and that Sister Cathy had promised to confront the priest. They knew that Maskell would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, and that their only hope was now lost. These girls retreated deeper into themselves, plagued by guilt and fear. Their fellow students remained optimistic, placing their innocent faith in the police department to solve the crime.
But Maskell was the chaplain of the police department, his brother was a cop, and officers had been involved in the abuse. The murder was not solved, and Maskell's reign of fear and terror expanded.
Decades later these girls are now women, discouraged by a lack of answers and accountability. Over the last three years, Sister Cathy's former students have taken matters into their own hands, investigating the murder of their favorite teacher while providing support for those still struggling with the aftermath of abuse. As survivors find strength from each other and within, they are united with their classmates in their effort to uncover the truth and make it known.
filmmakers
Ryan White, Director
Jessica Hargrave, Producer
Ryan White and Jessica Hargrave first met when they were 10 years old and made their first movie together when they were 12. Over the years they decided that "mystery spoof" was no longer their genre of choice, and shifted their focus to documentary. Their friendship has evolved to encompass a longstanding creative collaboration that has resulted in multiple successful films and projects through their company Tripod Media.
Prior to The Keepers, their most recent project together was The Case Against 8, a behind-the-scenes look at the five-year battle to overturn Proposition 8. The film won the Directing Award at Sundance, had its broadcast premiere on HBO, was nominated for two Emmys and was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary. White directed and Hargrave produced Good Ol’ Freda (Magnolia Pictures), which tells the story of the Beatles’ longtime secretary Freda Kelly, and Pelada (PBS, Cinetic), a journey around the world through the lens of pick-up soccer.
White also directed Serena (Epix), a year in the life of tennis legend Serena Williams, and his other credits include: Capitol Crimes (Bill Moyers, PBS); Dead Wrong: Inside an Intelligence Meltdown (CNN); 9/11: For the Record (Bill Moyers, PBS); and Country Boys (Frontline, PBS).
Kate Amend, Editor
Kate Amend, ACE is the editor of two Academy Award-winning documentary features: Into the Arms of Strangers and The Long Way Home and is the recipient of the International Documentary Association’s inaugural award for Outstanding Achievement in Editing. Amend also received the American Cinema Editors’ Eddie award for Into the Arms of Strangers and was nominated for an Emmy for The Case Against 8, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Her most recent film Serena followed a year in the life of tennis legend Serena Williams. Her next film, FEMINISTS: What Were They Thinking?, will be released in 2017.
Kate is on the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and is a member of American Cinema Editors. She is on the faculty at the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California and has taught Master Classes at acclaimed universities and film festivals around the world. Kate has been an advisor at the Sundance Documentary Edit and Storytelling Lab since June 2004.
Support
We are currently fundraising for The Keepers Social Impact Campaign. If you'd like to contribute, you can make a tax-deductible donation today through the Southern Documentary Fund, our fiscal sponsor.