Silenced documentary premieres on ABC and ABC iview in December – The Australian documentary Silenced will make its television premiere on Monday 14 December at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.
For Australian audiences, the broadcast brings the film to free-to-air television and free streaming after its festival and cinema run earlier in 2026. The documentary follows international human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson as she examines the legal consequences faced by women and journalists who speak publicly about gendered violence.
The ABC premiere also gives viewers another way to see a film that has already travelled from Sundance to Australian festivals and cinemas. Its focus is not only on the public allegations that made headlines, but also on the court processes, media scrutiny and personal costs that followed.
Watch the first look at Silenced
What is the Silenced documentary about?
Silenced looks at the period after the #MeToo movement broke long-standing cultural silence around gendered violence. The film examines the argument that defamation law can then become another barrier for survivors and reporters who want to tell their stories.
Robinson takes viewers inside courtrooms and behind the headlines. Her work connects cases from different countries and legal systems, showing how public testimony can lead to expensive, complex and deeply personal legal battles.
The documentary includes Brittany Higgins, the former Australian political staffer, survivor and advocate. It also features Catalina Ruiz-Navarro, a journalist and co-founder of the feminist magazine Volcánicas.
Actor and advocate Amber Heard is another participant. Her involvement places one of the world’s most closely watched defamation cases alongside the experiences of other women and journalists featured in the film.
From Sundance to the ABC
Silenced had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival before opening the 2026 Sydney Film Festival. It later screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival and opened in Australian cinemas in September.
The ABC broadcast represents the next stage of that Australian release. Viewers can watch on ABC TV at 8.30pm on Monday 14 December or stream the documentary through ABC iview.
Who made Silenced?
Selina Miles wrote and directed Silenced, with Blayke Hoffman producing. The pair are International Emmy Award-winning filmmakers, and the documentary is a Stranger Than Fiction production for Sharmill Films.
Screen Australia provided major production investment in association with Minderoo Pictures and the ABC. The project was financed with support from Screen NSW, Shark Island Foundation and Soundfirm.
Jennifer Peedom, Sarah Noonan, Jo-Anne McGowan, Jennifer Robinson, Malinda Wink and Shaun Richards are executive producers. Stephen Oliver is the ABC commissioning editor, while Susie Jones is the ABC Head of Documentary Specialist.
Silenced premieres Monday 14 December at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.
For more TV Central ABC news, read our earlier Silenced trailer coverage. The documentary will be available through ABC iview.