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Relative

Play trailer Poster for Relative 2022 1h 11m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 1 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
A filmmaker unearths a pervasive history of multigenerational trauma in her Italian-American family. As decades of secrets, home movies, and long-avoided conversations surface, a family once bound by tradition forges a new path forward.
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Relative

Critics Reviews

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Dennis Harvey 48 Hills This interweaving of testimony and archival materials does render vividly how a “sickness” of molestation and violence from “people you’re supposed to love and trust” can endure over decades, inflicting scars that “never leave you.” Nov 27, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Steven F This is a beautiful film that speaks from the heart about sexual abuse within a family that spans multiple generations. The way the movie is filmed and the way the story is told draws you in and gently keeps you there as family members tell their story. Only in the hands of an artist can such a painful story be told so beautifully. I hope Tracey Arcabasso Smith keeps directing films. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/18/24 Full Review Jeffery H I was sad you pt your loved ones out there like that. I'm all for bringing molestation to light. Your Nana is in the final stages of her life. She's reminiscing the good in her life not bad Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 06/23/24 Full Review Frances C Relative is stunning and infused with a sense of intimacy while also being brave and boundaried. I felt such emotions for the family and appreciation of the kind of conversations that happened and need to happen in families . I do a lot of work with religious trauma and some of the themes felt the same because of expectations . Thankful for this work. The director/center personality (Tracey) is disarmingly honest and bold. The way that she holds family accountable while still being respectful and loving is an example for all of us who are afraid of conflict and who fall into codependent behavior. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/04/24 Full Review Audience Member Brave enough to say the things I've been struggling to say about my own abuse in my family. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/27/24 Full Review Andre A The documentary “Relative” is a brave investigation of family secrets and how they adversely impacted family members for generations. The impact is evident even in family members who tried to bury emotions from their experiences decades prior. As the documentary unfolds, breadth of the trauma comes to light. It was not just one person or two people who were victims, but rather several people across multiple family units. The homes movies, which are integral to the documentary, portray happy times with extended family members enjoying each other’s company. Laughter abounds! However, the movies also provide glimpses to an underlying menace, in which there are clearly domineering figures and those who are subject of their dominance. Thankfully, “Relative” provided a vehicle for the filmmaker’s family to discuss the traumas of the past, and it provides encouragement and an opportunity for viewers with similar family experiences to engage in conversations of their own. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/24/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Relative

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Movie Info

Synopsis A filmmaker unearths a pervasive history of multigenerational trauma in her Italian-American family. As decades of secrets, home movies, and long-avoided conversations surface, a family once bound by tradition forges a new path forward.
Director
Tracey Arcabasso Smith
Producer
Tracey Arcabasso Smith, Jenya James Hamidi, Laura Poitras
Distributor
Gravitas Ventures
Production Co
Field of Vision (II), The We Collective
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 21, 2023
Runtime
1h 11m
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