Dark Secrets of a Trillion Dollar Island: Garenne
★★★★ SUNDAY TIMES Critic’s Choice | ★★★★ MAIL ON SUNDAY “Haunting”
THE GUARDIAN “Fascinating” | THE TIMES “Troubling” | THE iPAPER “Enlightening”
RADIO TIMES “A haunting account of a story that beggars belief”.
THE TELEGRAPH Shines a light into a very dark rabbit hole”
Dark Secrets of a Trillion Dollar Island: Garenne examines the widespread allegations of child sexual abuse at Haut de la Garenne, a state-run children’s home (pictured left), on the idyllic island of Jersey, a possession of the British crown. When rumours of systemic abuse surfaced in 2007, the island’s Health Minister, Stuart Syvret spoke out against the government sparking a moment of reckoning for the small community whose leaders were keen to protect the reputation of the island, home to billions of dollars in offshore investment.
The sleepy offshore tax haven found itself in the middle of a major police investigation as the world’s media descended on the island, creating a media circus. In the midst of all this, the community became divided – one group, fearful the scandal would drive investors away and another demanding justice for the victims. As bitterness and enmity dragged on and the press deserted Jersey, two unlikely bloggers (right) decide to reignite the smouldering, unresolved issues. Teaming up with former police officers, survivors and supporters, they continue to fight for the voices of the survivors to be heard, digging up past evidence and recording first-hand testimonials. In the process, they force the island to confront its dark past.
“Being small and independent may have served Jersey well in the past, but it wasn’t a strength when the abuse scandal overtook it and scrutiny from outside put it on the defensive. The worst of the Jersey headlines weren’t justified though, and Camilla’s film is an important attempt to separate fact from fiction.” Sandy Smith, Executive Producer
Credits
Producer Director Camilla Hall
Executive Producers James Rogan, Sandy Smith, Julio Depietro, Hans Robert Eisenhauer, Patrick Hamm
Executive Producer for the BBC Mandy Chang
Broadcast Details
This programme was first broadcast on: Monday 15th March at 10pm on BBC Four as part of BBC Storyville.
It’s now available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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Articles about the film
Child abuse in Jersey: a filmmaker’s search for the whole truth by Camilla Hall
Nothing about this film was easy. At its heart is a painful truth that no one can be allowed to forget: children were abused for decades in Jersey. Now is the moment to listen read more
