After several years of planning, filming and producing, director Bruno Pischiutta and producer Daria Trifu are screening their film "Punctured Hope." The film tells the story of of a West African woman who was genitally mutilated and sexually abused for years when, as a virgin girl, she was enslaved to become a victim of the Trokosi custom practice. According to Trokosi custom, if someone commits a crime, traditional leaders order that a young girl from that family be sent to the shrine as a ... Read more

After several years of planning, filming and producing, director Bruno Pischiutta and producer Daria Trifu are screening their film "Punctured Hope." The film tells the story of of a West African woman who was genitally mutilated and sexually abused for years when, as a virgin girl, she was enslaved to become a victim of the Trokosi custom practice. According to Trokosi custom, if someone commits a crime, traditional leaders order that a young girl from that family be sent to the shrine as a form of atonement. "Punctured Hope" follows her life from the age of innocence to premature adulthood, against a backdrop of real and very animated African village life.
Punctured Hope is based on the true life story of Belinda Siamey, who managed to escape captivity and now works to bring the abusive practice to a halt.
Siamey plays herself in the film. A casting decision that, according to producer Daria Trifu, was made unintentionally.
"The director, he noticed this young girl in the middle of the crowd," said Trifu. "He says, "Who's she?" She was introduced to him and he says I want her in the movie, playing the leading role. After the decision was made, we found out that she was the actual slave, the person who inspired .. based on whom the story was written."
The Trokosi custom is practiced in many areas of western Africa. In Ghana, where the film was shot, the practice is illegal. The law, however, is very difficult to enforce.
The film's director, Bruno Pischiutta, says that while shooting the film the crew never felt at risk. They did take some precautions.
"Nobody knew what the film was about. People knew we were shooting a film and everybody was very cooperative and very nice," said Pischiutta. "But really, we told the Africans the story the day before we were to leave. We had a press conference and we told them what the whole thing was about. And the government of Ghana, which is a very democratic government, put all of what we said on their website. And after that, the police forces closed some of the shrines. But you know, there are thousands. The law is there that these activities are against the law but the enforcing of the law is a different problem."
Pischiutta and Trifu hope that their film will bring to light the controversial practices of Trokosi and inspire the Western world to act. Close