Tapestries of Hope

Tapestries of Hope is a documentary by California filmmaker and human rights activist Michealene Cristini Risley that unearths the Zimbabwean myth that if a man rapes a virgin he will be cured of HIV/AIDS. The consequences of this myth are tragic; sexual abuse is rampant, girls as young as one day old have been raped, and victims are being infected with HIV/AIDS. In 2007 Michealene traveled to Zimbabwe to film the documentary, focusing on the work that CNN Hero and Zimbabwe native Betty Makoni has done to help the victims of rape and sexual abuse. Betty is the founder of the Girl Child Network, an organization that takes victims in and provides counseling and support for the girls so that they can be re-empowered despite their abuse. As a result of her filming and her courage to investigate the myth Michealene was jailed, interrogated and deported from Zimbabwe. The moving film of tragedy and empowerment has won awards at the Louisville International Festival of Film, the Monaco Film Festival and the Honolulu International Film Festival, among many others.

Director:

Michealene Cristini Risley