Cecilia Peck
The
“Brave Miss World” Interview
with
Kam Williams
Brave
Ms. Peck!
It received the Courage in Film Award from the Women Film Critics Circle, the Wyatt Award from the Southeastern Film Critics Circle, and was nominated for a Broadcast Critics Award and a National Film Critics Award. Cecilia also produced A Conversation with Gregory Peck, an intimate portrait of her iconic father, which was a Special Selection at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival, as well as a special presentation for TCM and PBS American Master
As
an actress, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her
performance in “The Portrait.” She portrayed a Palestinian school
teacher in love with an Israeli soldier in “Torn Apart.” She also
studied dance with Martha Graham and performed in “American
Document,” the last ballet choreographed by Miss Graham.
Cecilia
has also been a contributing editor at Premiere Magazine, French
edition and Moving Pictures Magazine, and has served on the jury at
the Aspen Shortsfest. A graduate of Princeton University, she lives
with her husband and two children in Los Angeles.
Here,
she talks about her latest documentary, Brave Miss World.
Kam
Williams: Hi Cecilia,
thanks for the interview.
Cecilia
Peck: Thanks,
Kam.
KW:
Before we start, I'd like
to ask, what has been your reaction to the recent passing of Harper
Lee?
CP:
I’m in grief over the
passing of Ms. Lee, who was family to me. I was tiny when "To
Kill A Mockingbird" was made into a film, and I have been
blessed by staying close to her all my life. She would recommend
books to me and later, when I became an English major at Princeton,
she was my mentor. She was dear, lifelong friends with both of my
parents. When my son was born, we named him Harper, and she visited
him frequently in New York, where she would have dinner in our
apartment and read to him at night. In subsequent years, when we
moved to Los Angeles, Ms. Lee would travel by train to visit our
family, and, in the last years, my husband and I visited her in
Monroeville every spring with our children. We have all lost a
national treasure, who taught us compassion and tolerance though her
incomparable book, "To Kill A Mockingbird."
KW:
What interested you in
Linor's story?
CP:
When Linor was crowned Miss
World in 1998, just six weeks after being the victim of a terrifying
abduction, stabbing and rape in Milan, Italy, she vowed to one day
speak out about rape. It took her ten years to get ready. Once she
decided to tell her story, she came to Los Angeles to meet with
directors. I got interested, when I sat down with Linor and her
friend Motty Reif and listened to Linor talk about what she wanted to
do. She wanted to meet with survivors around the world and encourage
them not to stay silent and not to blame themselves. Our editor and
producer, Inbal Lessner, came with me to that first meeting. We were
both very interested in how utterly unashamed Linor was to speak
about having been raped. “Why should I be ashamed?” she said.
“The fault was his, not mine.” As a filmmaker you look for a main
character who is so compelling that an audience will want to follow
her through a journey. As a director, it made sense as a follow up to
"Shut Up & Sing", another story of courageous women
standing up for what they believe in. I’m very interested in women
who have the courage of their convictions, who speak up even when it
would be much easier to stay silent.
KW:
What inspired you to turn
it into a documentary?
CP:
It
was Linor’s idea to make a film. She always felt that being raped
and winning the Miss World crown happened so close together for a
reason. She wanted to do a film that would give real meaning to her
crown, and would encourage survivors of rape everywhere to seek help
and seek justice. Ever since she became a very public face of rape at
age 18, survivors had approached her to say that knowing that it had
happened to her had helped them feel less alone. She knew she could
reach many more women in a film than she could in person. In the
film, you see the footage of her with tears running down her face as
the crown is placed on her head. No-one knew that she had just been
through a horrific ordeal and nearly lost her life. It’s the moment
that changed her destiny.
KW:
The film took five years to
complete. Devoting that much time to a project must mean it was a
labor of love.
CP:
Documentaries take a long
time — they’re all labors of love. You do them because you
believe it’s important to tell the stories. Brave Miss World takes
you on an epic journey with Linor, from Israel to South Africa,
across the United States and, ultimately, back to Italy, where Linor
was raped. But as far as the film being hard, the one it was most
hard on was Linor. Telling her story, dredging up the most painful
parts of her life, and hearing the stories of so many other women was
very difficult for her. One time, she had to take a break for six
months. It was also very hard to fund this film and we had to stop
many times to raise money for the next shoot. These were some of the
reasons it took so long to make. But in a way it was in our favor,
because Linor went through such a transformation over the course of
the film and if we had finished it sooner, we wouldn’t have been
able to capture that. One thing that happened was that she graduated
from law school and began practicing criminal law and defending other
women who were victims. But she changed in an even bigger, more
dramatic way which became a storyline of the film. We shot so much
great footage over the years, that our first rough cut was four hours
long. Although a few brave souls in that first test screening said
they would watch even more, we knew we had a long way to go. It took
Inbal and me more than a year to shape the story and distill it down
to 88 minutes. Now, for the first time, we are releasing some of the
scenes that were left on the cutting room floor in the new
DVD/Blu-ray which is about to come out. They provide a window into
very personal moments between Linor and her friends and family. We
also included more testimonials from other survivors who appear in
the film, who have entrusted us with their stories. We look forward
to having this special DVD with subtitles in 14 languages reach even
wider audiences around the world.
KW:
What was the most
surprising thing you learned while making the movie?
CP:
A devastating thing I
learned was that in South Africa, girls are more likely to be raped
than to be educated.
KW:
What message do you want
people to take away from Brave Miss World?
CP:
Brave Miss World is a guide
to anyone who is close to a victim of rape or sexual assault. Linor’s
mother, her best friend Motty, and her husband Oron, are all role
models for how to give compassion and love to someone who has been
raped. That’s one of the takeaways of the film, and a very
important one which also pertains to first responders--from police
departments, to school authorities, to family members. The first
words you use are so important. The wrong questions, such as “What
were you doing there?” or “Were you drinking?” will only lead
to revictimization, self blame, and silence for someone who has just
undergone a severe trauma. The right words are: "I believe you,
I trust you, and I’m going to support you." The reason Linor
wanted to make Brave Miss World, and the main message she hopes it
communicates is the importance of not staying silent about rape.
Linor strongly believes that unless you talk about it, starting with
someone you trust, whether a family member or close friend, your self
esteem and ability to heal will be impaired. I think her message
comes across very clearly in the film. And finally, for anyone who
has survived a rape crime, the film communicates that you can heal
and go on to feel whole, and trust others, and have a healthy life.
But it takes work. You have to acknowledge that it happened, realize
that it has affected you, seek the help you need to stop blaming
yourself, and believe that you’re worthy of a good life, even if
the rape made you feel degraded and worthless for a long time. The
film’s ultimate message is very empowering—that you can take it
into your own hands and fight to heal, and come out stronger on the
other side.
KW:
What do you think of the
recent snafu at the Miss Universe contest where Steve Harvey declared
the wrong contestant the winner?
CP:
It was an unfortunate
mistake which was handled gracefully by the contestants who were
involved.
KW:
What was it like growing up
the daughter of such.a revered cultural icon, especially someone so
closely associated with an Academy Award-winning role [as Atticus
Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird] revolving around a father-daughter
relationship?
CP:
My father was very much
like Atticus Finch. That was the role closest to him of all the parts
he ever played. He was very strict, but also very affectionate. He
was very decent and fair. He was working constantly when we were
little, but in between films he was very present. I learned from
growing up with him that nothing great comes easily. You have to
sacrifice a lot to do something that’s meaningful. He may have
wanted to spend more time with his kids, but he was striving very
hard to do films of great quality. And he was interested in the
themes of social justice. I think he was one of the only movie stars
of his time who was willing to be in controversial films like “To
Kill A Mockingbird” and “Gentleman’s Agreement.” Those films
had the power to heal. As far as being the daughter of a cultural
icon, you don’t have a sense of that when you’re growing up. He’s
just your dad. But maybe I inherited a bit of his character; a kind
of compulsion to uphold justice. Maybe it's why I’m drawn to social
issue documentaries.
KW:
Why did you decide to
produce the documentary about your father, A Conversation with
Gregory Peck?
CP:
My
father was doing a stage show when he was in his late seventies and
early eighties. He was traveling the country with an evening of
storytelling about his life and career, showing film clips and
answering questions from the audience. Barbara Kopple and I went to
see one of his shows and film it as a gift to him, so he could have a
record of it. Once we got there, we saw this incredible rapport he
had with the audience, who were of all ages, from young students to
grandparents, and he was utterly charming, brilliant, and so witty.
Barbara and I looked at each other and said, this should be a film.
We got on the phone that night and started to raise the money. We
spent the next year and a half with him. It's a very personal film
that looks back at his life and career, family and friends, and his
relationship with my mom. I remember how nervous we were to show him
the rough cut. There were so many personal scenes, and we didn’t
know if he would want a lot of changes. He told us he loved the film.
He only asked for one change. He said “Would you mind including a
short clip of the speech I gave about the importance of stricter gun
control legislation.” That was very characteristic of him, not to
be concerned with his image or himself personally, but with the
greater good. He would have been 100 this year! Several amazing
tributes for his centenary are happening throughout the world, and we
just launched a beautiful website for him, www.gregorypeck.com.
There are generations of lawyers who went to law school because of my
Dad’s portrayal of Atticus. I think people saw my dad as a father
figure and as someone they could look up to. People trusted him and
aspired to what he stood for, and the website gives them a place to
go and remember what he meant to their lives.
KW:
Congratulations!
Besides producing and directing, you're also an actress. Which of the
three is your favorite?
CP:
Making documentaries.
KW:
What did you study at
Princeton?
CP:
I was an English major with
a concentration on playwrights: Ibsen, Shaw, Ionesco, Sartre, Beckett
and Pinter.
KW:
Do you go back for
reunions?
CP:
Very occasionally to a
major one!
KW:
What's your best memory of
the Princeton?
CP:
The feeling of emerging
from the dark, towering Blair Arch into the expansive light of the
courtyard below.
CP:
"The Short and Tragic
Life of Robert Peace," by Jeff Hobbs.
KW:
The music maven Heather Covington question: What was the last song
you listened to?
CP:
"Ziggy
Stardust."
KW:
What is your favorite dish
to cook?
CP:
Steamed moules [mussels]
with shallots, white wine and spicy seasoning. I love to cook them
with my friend Suzanne Zimmer in the summertime and serve them to a
big table full of friends.
KW:
Ling-Ju Yen asks: What is
your earliest childhood memory?
CP:
Getting on the raft that my
older brothers had built when the bottom of the garden got flooded by
the rains.
KW:
Who loved you
unconditionally during your formative years?
CP:
My mother.
KW:
Was there a meaningful
spiritual component to your childhood?
CP:
I was raised Catholic and
attended Marymount school where I was taught by nuns. It catapulted
me into evolving my own beliefs.
KW:
Sherry Gillam would like to
know what is the most important life lesson you've learned so far?
CP:
You have to reach as high
as you can, and never quit. The mistakes, setbacks and the sorrows
make you stronger. You pick yourself up and keep going and don’t
stop.
KW:What
was your very first job?
CP:
I always had babysitting
jobs as a young teenager but my first union job was as a tour guide
at Universal Studios during the summer after my freshman year in
college.
KW:
When you look in the
mirror, what do you see?
CP:
I try to avoid the mirror
at all costs! That doesn’t mean I don’t self reflect.
KW:What's
the craziest thing you've ever done?
CP:I
did reckless things as a teenager. I think it was a need to prove
myself that manifested in a dangerous swagger. Once, I went up in a
small airplane at night with a pilot who wasn’t sober, doing loops
and tricks. The kinds of things that would give me a heart attack if
my kids ever did them. Being a mother is in itself another kind of
stepping onto a ledge, because you really don’t know if you’re
going to be good at it, and suddenly your children's lives are in
your hands. With parenting, I think you really have to listen, and
not just impose your will. Getting married is crazy, too. The
assumption that you’re going to be able to get along with another
person for your entire life. But the things that are hardest are the
most transformative, illuminating, and magical.
KW:
If you could have one wish
instantly granted, what would that be for?
CP:
My parents back on this
Earth.
KW:
The Sanaa Lathan question:
What excites you?
CP:
Getting ahold of a good
subject for a documentary and chasing it down.
KW:
What is your guiltiest
pleasure?
CP:
Having my laptop, radio,
husband, and dog all in the bed at night.
KW:
“Realtor to the Stars”
Jimmy Bayan asks: What’s your dream locale in Los Angeles to live?
CP:
My dream is being by the
ocean, anything north of El Matador.
KW:
The Melissa Harris-Perry
question: How did your first big heartbreak impact who you are as a
person?
CP:
I crawled out from under
the wreckage ready to stand up and repeat the same mistakes many
times. And eventually got wiser.
KW:
Harriet Pakula-Teweles
asks: With so many classic films being redone, is there a remake
you'd like to direct?
CP:
I would much rather direct
new stories.
KW:
Judyth Piazza asks: What
key quality do you believe all successful people share?
CP:
Perseverance.
KW:
What advice do you have for
anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
CP:
I was so fortunate to have
Barbara Kopple as a mentor. Anyone wanting to learn documentary
should do everything they can to get an internship with Barbara!
KW:
The Tavis Smiley question:
How do you want to be remembered?
CP:
I need a few more years,
I’m still striving, that question feels too premature.
KW:
Finally, what’s in your
wallet?
CP:
My wallet is a chaotic
shambles that eventually yields up everything I need.
KW:
Thanks again for the time,
Cecilia, and best of luck with the film.
CP:
Thanks
so much for your interest in Brave Miss World, Kam. I hope your
readers will visit our website, www.bravemissworld.com,
which now serves over 2,000,000 survivors and their families. It’s
a very dynamic site and safe, curated space to share experiences and
resources. On the site, you can also find out how to host a screening
of Brave Miss World, participate in our #IAmBrave photo challenge, or
order our brand new DVD.
To
see a trailer for Brave Miss World, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4l2D91KrdQ
To
order a copy of Brave Miss World on DVD, visit:
http://www.bravemissworld.com/buy
4
classic clips of Cecilia's
father, Gregory Peck, in his Oscar-winning
performance as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird:
Atticus
Finch and the Lynch Mob: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiEzI6n_Zcs
Atticus
Confronted by Bob Ewell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guMVb47aD-k
Atticus'
All Men Are Created Equal Speech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x6njs-cGUE
Your
Father's Passing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7CX_5D6y6E
To learn more about
Gregory Peck, visit the encyclopedic website launched in celebration
of the centennial of his birth (April 5, 1916): www.gregorypeck.com.
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