The True Voice of...(2006)

Sophie Okenedo, Richard Wilson, Lesley Sharp and Anne Reid are among those who appear in these three hard-hitting films that tell the dramatic stories of real people in their own words.

Each programme contains three films, featuring a different crime – murder, rape and prostitution – from three individual perspectives. What we hear are the raw words of real people, without comment or analysis. What we get is unique access into the inner workings and deep emotions of each person – whether the victim or perpetrator of the crime.

The True Voice of Murder

My Daughter - Lesley Sharp tells a mother’s heart-breaking story of how her 18-year old daughter died after being stabbed by her violent boyfriend.  Nina, played by Anne Reid, murdered her husband when she discovered his infidelity after 38 years of marriage. Honour is performed by Mozaffar Shafeie who plays an Iranian man describing the death of his son, murdered in an ‘honour’ killing.

The True Voice of Rape

In Perfect Day, Emily Woof plays Julia, a young woman who was raped by a guest at her best friend’s wedding. In Binge Town Matthew Dunster plays Terry, a rapist, who confesses his story from prison. Sophie Okonedo is Jane in Bank Holiday, who met a man who stalked, entrapped and violently raped her.

The True Voice of Prostitution

Richard Wilson is an immaculately turned-out and highly successful businessman in his 60s in Old Man. He has been seeing high-class escorts and prostitutes for over 15 years with the full knowledge of his wife. In The Business, Lesley Sharp plays a high-class prostitute who used to earn up to £1000 per evening. The final film, Grace, is the tragic tale of a young Ugandan girl, played by Nikki Amuka-Bird, who escaped to the UK after seeing her parents murdered and ended up working as a prostitute.

“Clearly sensing that urgent messages are not hitting home in conventional documentary films, Hill has stretched the form in bold and interesting ways.”
Karl French, Financial Times.

“The show forces you to listen to the words and in doing so attains a quiet but, ultimately, overwhelming power...Important and valuable television .”
Observer.

“All three performances are mesmerising; disturbing; eloquently acted. Each tale of grief, and of loss, and of regret, is heartbreaking; and each in its own heartbreaking way.”
Joe Joseph, Times T2.

"The stories are true, but are relayed by impressive actors...As an exploration of murder from the perspective of both victim and killer, it makes raw and painfully real viewing."
Simon Horsford, Daily Telegraph.