Rocliffe & Underground Films have announced that their upcoming feature documentary, TESTIMONY, will be released in UK and Irish cinemas from 21st November. This national theatrical release, which is supported by the BFI Audience Projects Fund, will follow its UK Premiere at the Irish Film Festival London on 15th November.
TESTIMONY follows an extraordinary group of women – supported by the activist organisation Justice for Magdalenes – whose fight to hold the Irish government accountable for abuses in the Magdalene Laundries, Mother and Baby Homes, and the forced separation of families, takes them all the way to the United Nations.
The Magdalene Laundries were institutions operated by religious orders with state complicity up until the late 90’s in Ireland. These institutions imprisoned and dehumanised women under the guise of “moral rehabilitation”, causing survivors to endure forced labour, physical and emotional abuse, and the lifelong stigma of being labelled “fallen”.
Many survivors’ trauma also extended into Mother and Baby Homes, where unwed mothers were coerced into surrendering their children for adoption. Countless of these separations were executed in secrecy and without consent, with home “residents” also being subjected to horrifying practices, including vaccine trials and human trafficking.
The multi-award-winning TESTIMONY, directed by award-winning filmmaker Aoife Kelleher (Mrs Robinson, One Million Dubliners), captures the unwavering determination of the Justice for Magdalenes team as they work to hold the Irish government accountable for decades of institutional abuse. Through unflinching honesty, the film raises urgent questions about justice and accountability, serving as both a tribute to survivors’ resilience and a stark reminder of the cost of silence. Above all, it is a rallying cry and a call to action, urging society to confront its complicity and ensure such abuses are never repeated.
Speaking on the importance of the film being released in UK and Irish cinemas, writer & Director Aoife Kelleher said “I’m delighted that Testimony will be released in cinemas across the UK and Ireland this November. This film is a reminder that, while confronting the past is never easy, it is vital, and that listening to survivors is the first and most meaningful step toward accountability. My hope is that the release of the documentary will help to amplify their call for truth and reconciliation, not only in Ireland, but everywhere such injustices have been allowed to persist“.
