Filmmaker of ‘The Voiceless’ to give presentation, screening of documentary

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Friday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

October 23, 2018 Student Life, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Award-winning filmmaker Vanessa McNeal will host a free public screening of her 2017 documentary “The Voiceless” at the University of Maine on Oct. 24 as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The internationally recognized film highlights the intersection of culture, masculinity and social taboos in its exploration of the impact of sexual violence on five male survivors.

At 5:30 p.m. prior to the screening in 100 D.P. Corbett Business Building, McNeal will talk about the making of the film and her personal experience with sexual violence. For more information about the event, or to request a reasonable accommodation, call 581.3494.

McNeal first identified a need to focus on the trauma and resiliency of male survivors of sexual abuse after experiencing the shockwave created by “We Are Survivors,” a short film focused on the story of a male victim of sexual violence.

“The Voiceless,” a one-hour documentary, received an Award of Merit at Indiefest 2017 and was recognized as an official selection at the 2018 Denton Black Film Festival. McNeal won the 2017 YWCA Woman of Tomorrow award and the 2018 STATEment Maker award from Iowa State University in the Entrepreneurial Spirit category, an honor that recognizes early personal and professional accomplishments and contributions to society. She was honored as a Best Director at the 2017 Newark International Film Festival, and is currently filming a documentary investigating the sex trafficking industry in Iowa.

Screening of “The Voiceless” and McNeal’s public presentation are offered with support from the Division of Student Life; College of Education and Human Development; College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Honors College; Rising Tide Center; UMaine’s Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; and Partners for Peace in Bangor.