The project of “THE DOMINO EFFECT” awarded at the Chicago International Television Festival!

The documentary by Dominika Kulczyk – “All of her scars” has been awarded at the 54th International Film Festival in Chicago. The project of “The Domino Effect” has received the Silver Plaque Award.

“All of her scars” is a movie presenting the story of Bella Galhos, who has been fighting for both the freedom of East Timor and women’s rights. It is a story full of pain but also love. Her life perfectly reflects problems that East Timor has been facing. In 1975, 9 days after gaining independence from Portugal, the country was attacked by Indonesia. Brutal, lasting 24 years occupation totally destroyed the country, and every fourth citizen died. The world was turning a blind eye while Timorese people were brutally murdered, were dying of starvation when hiding from the occupant in the mountains, and Timorese women were being sterilized. 

Dominika Kulczyk and her Foundation reaches out to Bella Galhos, who experienced all of this suffering related to occupation. But she never gave up, and as a teenager she started to fight for the freedom of her country. And she was successful. Today, she’s fighting for making a life easier, especially for those that are the most unprivileged; namely, women and children. Bella was brave enough to talk about violence that was present in her family. Drawing on her own experience, she helps Timorese women understand that they don’t have to agree to violence in their homes. In her mother’s hometown, Maubisse, she runs a social initiative as well as a Leublora Green School. She teaches ecological agriculture to the local community, which makes it easier for them to escape poverty.

The project of “The Domino Effect” was produced in 2017 by TVN, commissioned by the Kulczyk Foundation. “All of her scars” was directed by Marek Kłosowicz.