Marnie Block realized that working through her own trauma could potentially help others in need. A victim of sexual assault herself, the Dutch actor turned writer-director used her experience as a tool for inspiration in her debut short film Beyond Silence . The film follows Eva ( Henrianne Jansen ), a deaf PhD student, who, after being sexually assaulted by a trusted male professor, seeks advice from an older female academic advisor ( Tamar van den Dop ) about reporting the incident. However, due to her own hang-ups and past experiences with sexual assault, the academic advisor realizes she might not be the right person for the job. Eva, along with her sister ( Sigrid ten Napel ), who serves as her interpreter, must find the courage to seek justice.

Below, Blok opens up about the

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