澳大利亚纪录片《Silenced》在悉尼电影节首映，通过人权律师Jennifer Robinson的视角，揭示诽谤法如何被用于压制性侵和家暴受害者的发声。[1]该纪录片由国际艾美奖得主制作，改编自Robinson与Dr Keina Yoshida合著的著作《How Many More Women?》。[1]
影片聚焦三位女性的遭遇，包括美国女演员Amber Heard、哥伦比亚记者Catalina Ruiz-Navarro和澳大利亚政治助理Brittany Higgins。[1]其中，Higgins在2021年接受记者Lisa Wilkinson采访时，指控2019年遭同僚Bruce Lehrmann强奸。[1]此后，Lehrmann于2024年对Network Ten和Lisa Wilkinson提起诽谤诉讼，但联邦法院法官Michael Lee在案件中裁定Lehrmann强奸了Higgins。[1]Robinson在纪录片中表示，在代理Heard案件时受到的网络攻击是她职业生涯中前所未有的。[1]
纪录片已于1月在圣丹斯电影节进行国际首映，计划于8月6日至23日在墨尔本国际电影节放映，并将于9月3日在全国上映。[1]
A new documentary titled Silenced explores how human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson has connected multiple women who have faced sexual harassment and domestic violence, while examining how defamation law has been weaponized against brave survivors who speak out [1]. The film premiered at the Sydney Film Festival and was produced by an International Emmy Award winner, focusing on the legal battles that have silenced three women's voices [1].
The documentary is based on Robinson's co-authored book How Many More Women?, written with Dr Keina Yoshida [1]. It centers on three women: Amber Heard, Colombian journalist Catalina Ruiz-Navarro, and Brittany Higgins [1]. Higgins made headlines in 2021 when she spoke to journalist Lisa Wilkinson, alleging that she was raped by her colleague Bruce Lehrmann in 2019 [1]. In 2024, Lehrmann sued Network Ten and Wilkinson for defamation, though Federal Court Judge Michael Lee ruled that Lehrmann did rape Higgins [1].
Robinson has reflected on the personal toll of her legal work, stating: "I've never been attacked online as I was when I was representing Amber Heard" [1]. The documentary had its international premiere in January at the Sundance Film Festival [1]. It will screen at the Melbourne International Film Festival from August 6-23, with a nationwide release scheduled for September 3 [1].