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• Cristina's life has been marked by sexual violence since childhood. From growing up an orphan in her aunt and uncles' house and then, when she fled, in the streets of the town she ran to, violence and sexual abuse persecuted her. It was through dance that she came to face and overcome her wounds, finding her own victory over her aggressors. In this film, made by 5 of her friends, also artists, Cristina tells her story. When there are no words, she uses the physical language of dance and song. The fellow students from the University of Arts and Culture in Maputo filmmakers who researched and produced this film, give her space to share her story in her own words, listening where others haven’t. They also listen to Cristina’s current social circle of young dancers, choreographers and artists, and hear of the impact of such a challenging start in life. And together they celebrate the power of creative expression that has helped Cristina and others take the power from the violence in their lives and continue to refuse to give up on the beauty of life. Here, Cristina, the Victorious Ballerina, and her friends explore how music and dance gave hope to find a way out and show others who are going through the same difficulties that life can improve.

What happens when women get behind the cameras and tell stories of women? What are some of the obstacles to attracting and retaining more women in film and video production in Mozambique? This short film asks those questions of the filmmakers behind the film "Victorious Dancer" - from the series Speak My Sister, made by an all women crew of final year film students from ISArC (the Higher Institute of Art and Culture), in Maputo, Mozambique.