August 12, 2022 - Filmmaker Roshanak Jaberi (THE WOMAN IN WHITE)
From October 15, 1979 to January 16, 1992, El Salvador endured a civil war. More than 8000 people were forcibly disappeared, over 80,000 died, 1 million were displaced, and 500,000 were internally displaced. The Woman in White is a short documentary, produced by Jaberi Dance Theatre, that explores the true story of a nurse and mother, Juana Irma Cisneros Ticas, who was captured and forcibly disappeared in El Salvador during the Salvadoran Civil War.
"What an incredibly poignant film – it’s an amazing piece of work."
—Samer Muscati, Human Rights Watch
Project Links
Director Biography - Roshanak Jaberi
Roshanak is an Iranian-born Canadian artist, producer, director, and a Dora nominated choreographer and performer with a career that spans over 20 years. She is also the founding artistic director of Jaberi Dance Theatre, based in Toronto. Described as a “force to reckon with,” she has created and co-created over 30 works in dance, visual arts, film and music, has performed in numerous dance works, and has presented her work in Canada and internationally.
Roshanak is the recipient of the ISPA-International Society of Performing Arts Global Fellowship (2020, 2021) and the Chalmers Arts Fellowship (2019), and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours from York University. She has been a guest speaker and lecturer in various forums, and her work has been referenced in adult education courses and in critical pedagogy at the University of Toronto.
Director Statement
We often hear stories about victims of forced disappearance, but rarely do we experience them from the perspective of their families who are still searching. This photo exhibit and film offers an intimate look into a daughter’s journey through love and loss, and her quest for justice. The items featured in these photos–an ID card and graduation cape–hold special memories and are among the few remaining pieces belonging to Juana Irma.
Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.
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