Director
Catherine Hébert & Elric Robichon
Production
Les Films Camera Oscura
Languages
French, English, Arabic, Bengali, Mandarin, Turkish
Year
2026
85 min, Documentary, Canada, 5.1
Weaving together the stories of three writers and a publisher, all forced into exile by repression in their home countries, We Will Not Be Silenced explores the lasting consequences of displacement. Through the experiences of Aslı, Liao, Tutul and Mona, the documentary reveals how violence and forced exile can profoundly alter one’s relationship to language, writing and identity.
What becomes of writers when they are forced to leave the country that shaped their imagination? After fleeing Türkiye, China, Bangladesh and Kuwait, three writers and a publisher rebuild their lives far from home. Driven into exile because of their work, they still carry the scars of persecution. Displacement has transformed their relationship to language, to the creative process and to their sense of identity. Crossing a border does not mean leaving the weight of violence behind. Now living in exile, Aslı Erdoğan, Liao Yiwu, Ahmedur Tutul Chowdhury and Mona Kareem recount the threats, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, imprisonment and violence they have endured. Their testimonies reveal the lengths to which authoritarian regimes will go to silence dissenting voices and enforce ideological conformity, while raising a fundamental question: why, even when they wield such immense power, are these regimes so afraid of writers? We Will Not Be Silenced is the story of those who, despite everything, continue to write, publish and bear witness.
Writing: Catherine Hébert
Cinematography: Elric Robichon
Sound Recording: Christoph Fleischer, David Almeida-Ribeiro, Marc-André Labonté, Øystein W. Aarnes
Editing: Annie Jean
Sound Design: Marie-Pierre Grenier
Sound Mix: Bruno Bélanger
Music: Mathieu Charbonneau, Pietro Amato
Color Grading: Mathieu Charbonneau, Pietro Amato
Protagonists: Asli Erdoğan, Liao Yiwu, Mona Kareem, Ahmedur Tutul Chowdury, Marie Holzman
Production: Christine Falco
Catherine Hébert
Catherine Hébert is a maker of political and social documentary films. She has often filmed in Sub-Saharan Africa, taking an interest in the effects of war and violence against women, as well as exploring the intricate fabric of everyday life. Her films, particularly The other side of the country (2008) and Notes on a road less taken (2011), have earned critical acclaim and selections to numerous festivals, where they have won several awards.
We Will Not Be Silenced, 85 min, Documentary, 2026
Ziva Postec, The Editor Behind The Film Shoah, 92 min, Documentary 2018
- Yesterday in Nyassan, 24 min, Documentary, 2016
- René Derouin, 4 x 5 min, Documentary, 2013
- Notes on a Road Less Taken, 94 min, Documentary, 2012
- The Other Side of the Country, 84 min, Documentary, 2008
- He’s the Man, 89 min, Documentary, 2005
- La longue route de Julienne, 23 min, 2008
- Le microcrédit en question, 23 min, 2008
- Le visage que j’avais, 26 min, 2006
- Mangos for Charlotte, 23 min, 2004
- Tea at the Embassy, 47 min, 2003
Elric Robichon
With over twenty years of experience, editor Elric Robichon is recognized for the sensitivity and precision of his work, bridging documentary and fiction. He has collaborated with major filmmakers including Philippe Falardeau, Robert Morin, Chloé Cinq-Mars, and Geneviève Albert. His work, celebrated at Canneseries, TIFF, Hot Docs, and the Gémeaux and Québec Cinéma awards, is distinguished by a rare sense of narrative rhythm and a profoundly human approach to storytelling.
We Will Not Be Silenced, 85 min, Documentary, 2026