“Music by Prudence”
March 9, 2010
The winner of Best Documentary Short Category, is Music by Prudence, directed by Roger Ross Williams, and starring Prudence Mabhena.
The 33 minute documentary, focuses around a gifted young woman Prudence, who suffers from arthrogryphosis, a rare disorder which severely deforms the joints of the body.
Music by Prudence
Prudence who has had to face many odds in her young life, although this has not stopped her from living. Prudence sings in an amazing five languages, and shares her talents with the world.
Typically people with disabilities in Africa, are seen as the result of witchcraft, and they are even sometimes killed, to remove the curse from the family.
But Prudence, born in Victoria Falls did not face the same fate. When she was born, it was soon obvious that there was something not right. Her arms and legs were soon to found useless, as well as being twisted and limp.
Her paternal grandmother, told her daughter in law to refrain from breastfeeding Prudence, which would inevitably mean death for the baby. But Prudences mothed did not listen, and was soon ostracized. She ended up taking Prudence to her own mothers rural home, and when Prudence turned 4, she was left in her Grandmothers care.
But Prudences life did not get easy from here, she had to endure things that would be too much for most people. To be viewed by the community and being treated like a disease. Prudence also had to face, not being able to be schooled by her grandmother, after she had only just started at King George VI School and Centre with Physical Disabilities, which is privately funded. Read more at the official “Music by Prudence website“
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