Its creation is undeniably rooted in the darkness and suffering of the past 鈥� but in its name it looks forward to a brighter future.

Smiles and Laughter Entertainment was founded by two South 性视界传媒 residents, Alison Soroka and award-winning director John Banovich, in response to a specific incident of domestic violence in their city.

The murder of 69-year-old 性视界传媒 resident Maria Catroppa by her 74-year-old husband in November 2009 struck a particular chord with Soroka, a mother of three, who says she has firsthand knowledge of domestic abuse.

But she was also inspired by positive moves in the community to break what she calls 鈥渢he cycle of abuse鈥� 鈥� a repertoire of learned-over-generations, societally 0enabled behaviours that, in addition to the injuries and deaths it can inflict on its most obvious victims, also creates ripples throughout communities; and even victimizes perpetrators who only realize when it has gone to extremes that what they are doing is wrong.

Particularly impressed by the proactive work of 性视界传媒 Coun. Barinder Rasode with the 性视界传媒 Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (SCADA), Soroka joined forces with award-winning film maker Banovich 鈥� known for his commercials for Mothers Against Drunk Driving 鈥� to create a social media campaign to increase awareness of domestic violence and the resources available to its victims.

With the blessing of Mayor Dianne Watts and the support of 性视界传媒 council, Smiles and Laughter is partnering with 性视界传媒 Women鈥檚 Centre to launch the campaign, titled The Honest Truth.

First step will be the production of a PSA, utilizing Banovich鈥檚 directoral touch and production know-how, scheduled to be shot in 性视界传媒 on June 28.

It will feature Catroppa鈥檚 daughter, Dr. Jay Tuason, who will 鈥渉onour her mother鈥檚 life by recounting the tragic circumstances of her death,鈥� and also a re-enactment of elements of her relationship with her husband, Sebastiano Damin, that may have foreshadowed the tragedy. (Damin was convicted earlier this month in B.C. Supreme Court on a charge of second-degree murder, and received a mandatory life sentence, with parole eligibility at 10 years.)

But, in keeping with Soroka and Banovich鈥檚 determination to move forward positively, the PSA will be just part of a website with social media links designed to inform, connect with, and empower victims of violence and their families.

The aim, Soroka and Banovich say, is to 鈥渂ring greater accessibility to existing resources鈥� and also 鈥渟erve as a tool that other service providers can use, either through embedding the YouTube video (of the PSA) on their agency鈥檚 website, or in using this model to create their own campaign.鈥�

One of the most important objectives, they say, is to increase 鈥減opular understanding of domestic violence and high risk factors leading to serious bodily injury or death.鈥�

It鈥檚 a society-imposed hurdle of silence that needs to be overcome, the filmmakers told the Peace Arch News.

鈥淧eople don鈥檛 want to hear it鈥檚 going on in families they know,鈥� Soroka said. 鈥淭hey want to sweep it under the carpet 鈥� it鈥檚 something shameful.鈥�

Banovich compared it to the drinking and driving issue 鈥� a behaviour that was once considered a social norm until effective campaigns were mounted to raise public awareness.

Like Soroka, he has moved from being a victim 鈥� he narrowly survived a road accident caused by a drinking driver who was, himself, killed in the crash 鈥� to become an advocate for change.

鈥淏ack when I started getting involved the issue of drinking and driving was just coming to light,鈥� he said.

鈥淣ow we鈥檙e well on the way to where impaired driving is not tolerable 鈥� when we see it, we do something about it.鈥�

Banovich, who admits to bearing some psychological scars from incidents of domestic violence he witnessed as a child, said it鈥檚 high time that society decides that it, too, is unacceptable.

鈥淭here has been a lot of cultural acceptance of domestic violence,鈥� he noted.

Part of this has to do with the way that victims are often made to feel that they are responsible for the abuse, and end up blaming themselves, or living in denial, Soroka said.

鈥淥ften victims will stay with their abuser. There is a lot of manipulation and control going on, particularly when there are children involved. It complicates the issue.鈥�

Soroka could be forgiven for having little compassion for perpetrators of domestic violence, but said she also recognizes that merely assigning blame is not the key to ending the problem.

鈥淚n many cases, they don鈥檛 know they have an illness 鈥� that there is a cycle there. It鈥檚 learned at an early age,鈥� Soroka said.

鈥淚f we don鈥檛 break it down, the cycle will continue and continue.鈥�

And that鈥檚 where Smiles and Laughter Entertainment 鈥� with an outlook as hopeful as its name 鈥� can make a long-term difference, she believes, one that could end up extending far beyond the boundaries of 性视界传媒.

鈥淐hange can happen and we can all contribute to that,鈥� Soroka said.