City of Joy

When we tell the truth, we change the world

Directed by Madeleine Gavin

Produced by Essence Road, Impact Partners

A documentary that confronts systemic violence and trauma while centering the resilience and solidarity of survivors and their advocates, balancing unflinching darkness with hard-won hope.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has endured 20 years of devastating violence. Rape has been used as a weapon of war to destroy community and access precious minerals. Congo is often referred to as “the worst place in the world to be a woman.” "City of Joy" tells a different story of the region. The film focuses on Jane, a student at a center where women who have suffered unimaginable abuse join together to become leaders. We also meet the founders of the center: a devout Congolese Doctor, a Congolese activist, and a radical N.Y. playwright. The film weaves between joy and pain as these individuals band together to demand hope in a place so often deemed hopeless.