Local Film Tackles Self Injury, Screening Thursday

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What is Home is a locally made documentary that breaks through the walls of shame to reveal the story, and the scars, of a young woman who is overcoming self-injury.

The movie first premiered to audience of 250 at the Capitol Theatre back in November 2012, and then traveled to smaller audiences until one youth worker suggested it be shown at local high schools.

In February, nearly 300 grade ten students at Holy Names High School watched the film and met some of the people involved, including Ayan Holland whose story is featured in the documentary. Students who waited to talk with her afterward showed their admiration. She has heard from young people that by simply telling her story, she has helped to change their lives.

That story was documented by Svjetlana Oppen, president of Stagehouse Multimedia and a student in Communications at the University of Windsor, who recalls, “I wanted to avoid falling into the trap of becoming exploitative…Do I show her scars or not?” The day they met, Holland wore a short-sleeved t-shirt which exposed the scars that run up and down both her arms. Oppen says, “She was ready to share her story, ready to stop hiding and desensitizing her pain, and ready to show her scars internal and external. She was ‘all in’ and so was I.”

A free public screening of What is Home will be held on Thursday, April 4th at 7:30pm at Assumption Chapel in cooperation with Assumption University, the Windsor Youth Centre, and Stagehouse Multimedia.