Tomás Hardiman, a film producer and survivor of childhood abuse, shares his courageous journey towards healing through his documentary, 'The Days of Trees.' He discusses how trauma shapes memory, shame, and repression, and the role of creative expression in transformation. Tomás reflects on his emotional struggle, almost stepping away from the film, and the profound power of storytelling to connect others in similar pain. His insights into forgiveness and the nature of trauma reveal a deep, transformative process that challenges conventional views on healing and justice.
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insights INSIGHT
Understanding Perpetrators' Role
Understanding perpetrators is crucial to ending abuse cycles.
Neglecting perpetrators' backgrounds blocks true healing and prevention.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Making The Days of Trees
Tomás created The Days of Trees, deeply personal and unique.
The film features him alone narrating his healing journey after abuse.
insights INSIGHT
Creative Work as Healing
The creative process can serve as a powerful healing mechanism.
Sharing trauma through art helps both creator and audience heal.
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Inferno is the first part of Dante Alighieri's epic poem, The Divine Comedy. It narrates Dante's fictional journey through the nine circles of Hell, guided by the ancient Roman poet Virgil. The poem is an allegory representing the soul's journey towards God, starting with the recognition and rejection of sin. Hell is depicted as a realm of those who have rejected spiritual values, with punishments fitting the sins committed. The journey is a spiritual rescue mission initiated by Beatrice, who represents divine revelation and guides Dante through his spiritual growth and eventual readiness to leave sin behind[1][3][4].
Tomás Hardiman is a film producer and a survivor of childhood abuse. His recent documentary “The Days of Trees” tells the story of his own experience of childhood sexual abuse, and his long road to recovery.
In this conversation, Tomás reflects on the years he spent in the dark, his gradual process of healing, and how he was able to convert his deepest childhood wound into a creative project - a documentary that is now impacting people all over the world.
Gabor Maté had this to say about it:
'It's all about healing and transformation, a person finding themselves… I really urge you to see it. A beautiful film.'
Here are some of the things we explore in this discussion:
— How memory, shame, and repression often intertwine in trauma
— Why Tomás almost walked away from the film
— The role of creative work in transforming suffering
— How Tomás has been able to forgive the seemingly unforgivable.
And more.
You can watch the film at https://thedaysoftrees.com/ and get 50% off if you use the code: TWU50 when purchasing.
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Tomás Hardiman holds a B.Comm from NUI Galway (1979) and an M.A. in Film and Television Studies from Dublin City University (1992). After graduation he worked in human resources in Dublin before living for a time in Toronto, where he began a professional career in the theatre as General Manager of Mercury Theatre Company. Following his return to Ireland he was appointed Marketing/Publicity Director of The Abbey Theatre where he worked from 1985 to 1993. He then returned to Galway where he ran his own communications and independent film production company, Parzival Productions. From October 2002 to November 2007 he was Managing Director of Galway Arts Centre and the Cúirt International Festival of Literature. He was a member of the board of Theatre Forum, the representative group for Irish arts organisations, from 2005-2007. He continues to produce and manage creative projects across multiple artforms and in 2013 completed a three-year training programme to become a teacher of the Alexander Technique. He produced eleven films between 1998 and 2023. Most recently he collaborated with acclaimed Irish writer/director Alan Gilsenan, to produce a loose trilogy of films about psychological trauma: Meetings with Ivor, The Meeting and The Days of Trees. The latter won the George Morrison Award for Best Documentary at the 2024 Irish Film and Television Awards.
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Interview Link:
— Tomás’ website - https://thedaysoftrees.com/
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