An insightful documentary that focuses on Sonia El-Birani, who was murdered by her husband in 2012, stresses the importance of paying attention to the high risk warning signs of domestic violence. Fatal Silence was produced by Facilitator Films and directed by multiple award-winning director Alan Powell.
Powell was commissioned by the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children (CREVAWC), Neighbours, Friends and Families, and the Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration. The idea for the film was pitched to Barb MacQuarrie from CREVAWC after Powell interviewed Maha El-Biranı, Sonia's daughter, for another CREVAWC project. When the opportunity arose for Maha to return to Canada from her residence in Jordan, Powell seized the opportunity and MacQuarrie was onside.
Powell spent a few days with El-Biranı while she was visiting London, Ontario in Canada, her mothers' final resting place, to speak publicly of the traumatic events at a domestic homicide prevention conference. Through behind the scenes conversations and self reflections Maha uncovers the risk factors and potential actions that may have prevented her mother’s death.
An official launch date for the film has yet to be announced though the film has been screening online informally since October of this year. For further details contact Barb MacQuarrie bmacquar@uwo.ca.