This beautifully nuanced, deeply personal documentary journeys across four generations of an Italian-American family as they uncover their shared experiences around sexual trauma, mostly for the first time, with unapologetic candor. Stirring home movies shot by the filmmakers' grandmother cinematically create a backdrop that weaves individual stories together across the shifting landscape of time. The intimate and poetic exploration reveals enduring connections and an honest window into what it looks and feels like to break the silence on trauma. Each conversation gives way to the intricacy of human experience. This is not just a story of one family but one of countless stories all over the world that are sitting in silence. Relative is an artful and empowering story about seeking truth, the complexity of trauma, and the power of voice in effecting lasting change.
Relative
The filmmaker uncovers a dark history of multigenerational sexual abuse in her Italian-American family, exposing a tangled web of vulnerability, shame, and love.
