By Erin Pike, JTNews Correspondent
“Brave Miss World” is an absolute must-see documentary about Linor Abargil, the winner of the 1998 Miss Israel and Miss World pageants, and her journey as she becomes a fearless activist for victims of rape. Abargil was raped six weeks prior to the 1998 Miss World pageant, an event that she publicly recounted, and painstakingly pursued legal justice for. The film follows her story as she continues to deal with the daily and long-term effects of rape, and as she begins to reach out to other victims so she can inspire and support them.
Abargil introduces viewers to rape survivors of a diverse range of ages, nationalities, abilities, and gender. Yes, it is emotionally draining and horrifying to observe so many stories of injustice and violence, but the film ultimately provides hope in its revelation that simply speaking openly about rape is often the first step toward true healing.
The documentary is brilliantly structured — we see Abargil gain momentum in her cause, we are exposed to the concerns and objections from her family, we see her become overwhelmed by the weight of others’ stories, and finally, we see her find ultimate healing in her career as a legal advocate and in religion and faith. Director Cecilia Peck does an outstanding job of shaping the fullest possible picture of how sexual violence inevitably alters a person’s life forever, and demonstrates how Abargil’s bravery is genuinely heroic.
Though centered on Abargil’s life, the film is truly about the bigger subject of sexual violence. “Brave Miss World” smashes the taboo of rape as a subject of conversation and offers a rare insight into the international epidemic and its life-long effects on victims.
The specific medium of film documentary is also to be commended as an excellent choice for this story. Too often, rape is simply a detail in a minute-long news excerpt, or an “unfortunate incident” in the plots of television shows or movies. We see rape (usually) portrayed as something bad, and yet we aren’t directly confronted by how it, tragically, never fully goes away in the life of the victim. By watching a feature-length documentary about one person’s experience, and her subsequent exceptional activism, we see the full, comprehensive life-long path of recovery — complete with emotional, psychological, physical, legal, and spiritual repercussions. It is the most honest depiction possible.
Warning: Brave Miss World may inspire you to become an activist. Survivors and supporters alike, this is a documentary every human should see.