Abstract

Armed violence is hard to define but easy to recognise. The short documentary Faces of Violence: A non-fiction story examines the many dimensions of violence and its implications for the development sector. In focusing on key risk factors and symptoms of armed violence, it shows how it can be diagnosed and ultimately treated. Faces of violence features the stories of a former drug trafficker from Brazil and a former fighter from war-torn Southern Sudan. It highlights how both protagonists were once perpetrators of violence, then victims and ultimately, part of the solution to achieving lasting peace in their communities. Faces of Violence is a reminder of the poignant human stories behind the statistics, and a call to action for disarmament experts, development practitioners, public health specialists and human rights activists around the world. The film was conceived and produced by Igarapù and the Small Arms Survey with assistance from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.