Broken Places

A film by Roger Weisberg

Overcoming childhood adversity.

“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.” Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

Why are some children permanently damaged by early adversity while others are able to thrive? To help answer this question, filmmaker Roger Weisberg dug into his extensive film archives to update a few of the stories of the abused and neglected children he filmed decades ago. Viewers are given a unique time-lapse perspective on how the trauma that these children experienced shaped their lives as adults. BROKEN PLACES interweaves these longitudinal narratives with commentary from a few nationally renowned experts in neurobiology and early childhood development in order to illuminate the devastating impact of childhood adversity as well as the factors that can foster resilience.

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Director

Roger Weisberg

Producer

Roger Weisberg

Runtime

76 & 55 minute version

Rights Represented

Educational Rights

Captions Available

English Closed Captions

Language

English

Press

“I think you’ve produced one of the best documentaries on early childhood adversity that I’ve seen. The incredible quality of what people shared with [Weisberg] on camera about their personal struggles over a period of more than two decades is a remarkable tribute to [his] professional skills and to the authentic personal commitment [he] brought to this project.”

- Jack P. Shonkoff, M.D., Director, Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

“The film represents an extraordinary lifelong project. We would live in a better society if this film was required watching for all policy makers”

- Rahil D. Briggs, PsyD, National Director, Healthy Steps, ZERO TO THREE

“The message of Broken Places is clear. It says that toxic stress and its downstream consequences are costly. It calls us all to create better interventions based on this understanding. And for this reason, it is a powerful tool for good in strengthening the work of my organization and our partners.”