Daylight Come: Life After Rape in the Congo
Director Evan Vetter
Countries United States
Duration 78 min
Synopsis
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, where rape is used as a weapon of war, Daylight Come follows a group of survivors as they struggle to overcome their brutalized past and forge new lives. Abandoned or widowed and forced from their villages, these Congolese women are homeless in the provincial capital of Bukavu, unable to provide food or shelter for their children. Their stories are seen through the eyes of two American women working with those affected by the war in eastern Congo. Eager to help and full of naive optimism, Robin and Wendy quickly find themselves unprepared for the magnitude of the rape crisis when they meet 12 survivors and their 40 children, living in a roofless building. They attempt to help them back on their feet by finding them a home and formulating business plans that might offer them the prospect of a new life. However, every step forward seems stifled by two steps back as some of the women oppose the business projects and Robin is forced to confront the level of dependency she has engendered. These challenges are contrasted by the intimate relationships developed with the survivors, whose stories reveal that they are so much more than victims — each is a woman, a mother, a friend. This incredibly personal journey invites us to connect with these Congolese women, feel invested in their stories and inspired to fight for their futures.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, where rape is used as a weapon of war, Daylight Come follows a group of survivors as they struggle to overcome their brutalized past and forge new lives. Abandoned or widowed and forced from their villages, these Congolese women are homeless in the provincial capital of Bukavu, unable to provide food or shelter for their children. Their stories are seen through the eyes of two American women working with those affected by the war in eastern Congo. Eager to help and full of naive optimism, Robin and Wendy quickly find themselves unprepared for the magnitude of the rape crisis when they meet 12 survivors and their 40 children, living in a roofless building. They attempt to help them back on their feet by finding them a home and formulating business plans that might offer them the prospect of a new life. However, every step forward seems stifled by two steps back as some of the women oppose the business projects and Robin is forced to confront the level of dependency she has engendered. These challenges are contrasted by the intimate relationships developed with the survivors, whose stories reveal that they are so much more than victims — each is a woman, a mother, a friend. This incredibly personal journey invites us to connect with these Congolese women, feel invested in their stories and inspired to fight for their futures.