Child Abuse Prevention Association

Locust Valley Films is a production company dedicated to making a difference in society. Our aim is not necessarily to engender agreement, but to stimulate reflection, introspection, and a degree of self-analysis – all while being entertained. Each project we undertake has societal significance but we never attempt to proselytize – just entertain and enlighten.

Our Current Project
We can help stop child abuse by raising awareness. This project comprises two high-quality, hard-hitting yet uplifting dramas on the subject of child abuse. The first, which is now complete, is entitled Silence, and takes the viewer on a journey into a young girls mind, exploring her inner turmoil as she deals with her own sexual abuse. The next film in this series will be Paper Boats, Real Dreams, which deals with physical and emotional abuse. Both films have been designed to be compelling viewing, yet inspire those being abused, past victims of abuse and those who suspect abuse, to break the silence and tell someone.

“Child abuse is a global problem affecting everyone either directly or indirectly. We need only look at the number of abused children who instead of growing into healthy and productive members of society end up with substance misuse problems or incarcerated. Add to that the number of youth suicides, failed marriages, relationships and businesses – the affects of Child Abuse cause numerous problems such as constant fear, shame, bewilderment, confusion, low self-worth, pain, and guilt. For many, healthy relationships can be nearly impossible to achieve”, says LVF’s producer Craig A Kocinski.

Many victims never come forward to talk about their violation because the abuse left them feeling that it was their fault. The aim of this short film project is to help address the issue of child abuse in a practical and powerful way. It has been designed to be suitable at the High School and Tertiary level. Appropriate study guides will accompany our films to help open up frank discussions, as well as to offer a greater awareness of what constitutes abuse and the means available to a child to get help.

To kick off this project on a global scale, and generate the exposure and momentum needed to bring this educational initiative to life, Silence had its World Premiere at the 59th Cannes Film Festival as part of the festival’s Short Film Corner.“Being at the festival put us in the heart of the action”, says Mr.Kocinski. “It allowed us to meet, and show our film to people from all over the world. Marie Stroud, Programme Assessor for SBS Television, United Kingdom, was at the World Premiere for Silence. Chance meetings with people like Oscar Award winning producer Peter Fudakowski, were the norm. Peter’s film Tsotsi won this year’s Oscar for best foreign language film. We met at a dinner party; Peter asked if I was Polish, and the conversation went on from there. He came to see the last screening of Silence, and stayed to chat about it afterwards. Peter said that normally he would have found it difficult to sit through a film on the subject, but Silence kept him in his seat.

For more information visit: www.locustvalleyfilms.com