"Threads of Hope" is the powerful story of a group of Chilean women who banded together in silent protest and dared to defy a dictatorship.
They are the sisters, mothers and wives of Pinochet's "disappeared" and, armed with scraps of doth, sewing needles and the overwhelming desire to find their loved ones, they set to work telling their stories by creating arpilleras: colourful hand made tapestries that chronicled the horror and injustice of Chile's reign of terror. These arpilleras were smuggled out of South America by other women who visited Chile. Once back in the west these women arranged exhibitions of the arpilleras. The arpilleras were then sold and the money sent back to the Chilean "arpilleristas" to help them support their families.
Back in 1973, Pinochet's military coup in Chile led to the torture and execution of thousands of innocent people. The military denied that these people had been arrested but the recent discovery of mass graves in Chile plus the new Government's report on the "disappeared" has confirmed the horrible truth.
Footage that was clandestinely shot by Chilean citizens reveals the shocking details of the disappearances. The images of these atrocities are intercut with the arpilleras and alternate with the compelling stories of Doris Menicord, Violeta Morales and Inelia Hermosilla, each of whom mourn for their disappeared family members. Through these patchwork tapestries the women have transformed their trauma, grief and ultimately their hope into vibrant and beautiful cloth pictures.
Ultimately "Threads of Hope" is a story of women helping women. This story focuses on the passionate commitment of those left behind, the workshops and soup kitchens they helped to start and how they've created triumph from tragedy with the help of women from North America and Europe. The bright, hopeful colours and disturbing subjects of the arpilleras have made them become an international symbol of protest and hope and in their own way helped Democracy return to Chile.
"Threads of Hope" won Silver in the Arts & Cultural category
of Houston Worldfest in 1992.
Winner of George Foster Peabody Award
"This moving documentary ... will make you angry and sad, fearful
for the women and strengthened by the enormous power of love," (The Toronto
Star)
"Compelling viewing ... vivid and courageous tapestries" (The Ottawa
Citizen)
"Powerful" (The Globe and Mail)
"it's a heart tugging compelling piece from start to finish" (Kitchener-Waterloo
Record)
Produced by Les Harris, Directed by Andrew Johnson
© CANAMEDIA PRODUCTIONS LTD.
A Canamedia production, produced in Association with TVOntario,
CKVR TV, Vision TV and with the financial participation of Telefilm Canada,
CIDA, OFDC and CTVC.
