KQED presents the shattering new documentary Boyhood Shadows: I Swore I'd Never Tell.

The silence is broken.

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One in six boys is sexually molested by the age of 16. The statistic is staggering .

In the groundbreaking documentary Boyhood Shadows: I Swore I’d Never Tell, filmmakers Steve Rosen and Terri DeBono (Accidental Hero and Beyond Barbed Wire) explore the life-long emotional carnage of this epidemic. Brave and unflinching, Boyhood Shadows shines a light on the strength of the human spirit and brings a platform to those who thought they were voiceless.

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Filmed in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New Jersey, Boyhood Shadows chronicles the journey of five men whose lives were changed by childhood sexual assault. Seeking help through one of just a handful of support groups for male survivors of childhood sexual abuse (in fact, only forty or so groups exist worldwide), these survivors continued to suffer in secret while family and friends were kept in the dark and at a loss to understand the trauma they were going through. What they learn is there is no shame in recognizing and facing one’s trauma, as child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education.

At the film’s center is Glenn, a man who came under the power of a sexual predator as a young boy. Past and present are woven into the revelation of Glenn’s story. Numbing his pain as a teen with alcohol and drugs, he held the secret and the shame from his family. His story is not much different from other men who have shared the same history. One in six boys is sexually molested by the age of 16. A difficult topic, but if we don't talk about it, who will?

Filmmakers Rosen and DeBono create an intimate, personal look into the lives of the survivors. They are joined by spouses, family members and friends, healthcare and law enforcement professionals, consultants, authors, actors and politicians. Created out of a need to support and help heal male survivors of childhood sexual abuse, Boyhood Shadows speaks out on the realities of childhood sexual abuse. Among the film's awards are the Bronze Award at WorldFest Houston 2009, Silver Place at the 2009 AAECT Film Festival and a prestigious nomination for Best Documentary at the 2010 Swansea Bay Film Festival in Wales. Organizations such as the Lackland AFB Sexual Assault Prevention Outreach, the MaleSurvivor Convention and the Prison University Project have screened the film as a learning tool. Both powerful and empowering, Boyhood Shadows builds awareness around the devastating effects of childhood sexual abuse.

The program is presented by KQED and distributed by NETA for public television.

Praise for the Film:

“A gut-wrenching study of heartbreak and redemption.” - Marc Cabrera, The Monterey Herald

“… a deep and insightful film. If we don’t talk openly, we allow offenders to continue and we prevent boys from getting help they deserve…” - SSA Jim Clemente FBI (Retired) Writer/Tech Advisor Criminal Minds

“An important and difficult issue…” - State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg

“….an amazing film…. ” - California Senator Elaine Alquist

Key Credits Include:
Producer/Co-Director: Terri DeBono
Director/Editor: Steve Rosen
In association with Phoebe Snow Foundation
Composer/Musician: Laura Dare
Presenting Station: KQED, San Francisco
U.S. Distributor: NETA
Underwriting: Self-funded

Publicity & PR:
Shannon Page, shannon@scottsf.com
Terri DeBono, terri@macandava.com

Website & Social Media:

Website: http://www.boyhoodshadowsproject.org
Program Guide Article: Boyhood Shadows Article
Social Media Toolkit: Social Media Toolkit

About KQED Public Television:

KQED Public Television, one of the country’s most popular public television stations, brings the values of public media to homes around the Bay Area with EMMY Award–winning programming that inspires, informs and entertains. KQED produces local series like Check, Please! Bay Area, This Week in Northern California, Truly CA, San Francisco Opera and ImageMakers,as well as popular programs for national broadcast such as Essential Pépin, QUEST and Film School Shorts. KQED also distributes programming, including The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, Roadtrip Nation and Joanne Weir’s Cooking School, to public media stations across the country.

KQED Public Television channels are KQED 9 (San Francisco/Bay Area, also available in HD), KQED Plus (Bay Area, also available in HD) and KQET (Monterey/Salinas).

KQED also offers digital channels available via XFINITY and over-the-air, each with distinct quality programming: KQED World, KQED Life, KQED Kids and KQED V-me (Spanish language).

About NETA:
The National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA, netaonline.org) is a professional association that serves public television and education by providing quality programming, educational resources, professional development, management support, and national representation. NETA distributes over 2,000 hours of programming each year to public television stations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

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Boyhood Shadows: I Swore I’d Never Tell Gives Voice to Survivors of Childhood Abuse.