Hot Docs 2017 – A better man

abettermanfilm.com/

Attiya was 17 when she dated Steve. Now, two decades later, here they are again, sitting across from each other, not to reminisce but to process. In a powerful act of restorative justice, they’ve come together to talk through their violent relationship. What drove Steve to abuse Attiya daily during the two years they were together? The film shifts the usual focus of abuse counselling by including the perpetrator. At times difficult to watch, the film makes a strong case for a holistic approach to processing the trauma of abuse by including both parties. Attiya and Steve’s willingness to engage with each other ultimately works on the hope of getting to the root causes of the violence. A brave film in every regard. Aisha Jamal