Impact Days Catalogue
fifdh
By Jennifer Huang

The Long Rescue

The Long Rescue
Impact days 2023 Movie
IMPACT DAYS

The Long Rescue begins where most trafficking stories end: after the rescue. Focusing on teenage survivors in Cebu, Philippines, the film follows the girls for nine years in a film that focuses on recovery rather than trauma, survivors rather than rescuers, contextualising societal structures that perpetuate their ongoing struggles with poverty, violence and shame. The film opens with the girls full of laughter and song, eagerly working toward a brighter future. Hope, Sara, and Ashley weave dreams of careers and romance in their hidden shelter. But as they return to the communities that failed them, vulnerabilities resurface. Sara condemns her own sexual identity; Ashley flees college; Hope returns to sex work. Through heartbreaking, humorous, and poignant scenes, the film lays bare the unpredictable journey of recovery.

Section : Impact Days
Country : Philippines, United States, United States
Original languages : Cebuano, Tagalog, English
Director
Jennifer Huang (United States)
Producers
Jethro Patalinghug (United States)
Hanz Florentino (Philippines)
Treeclimber Media LLC
Completion
March 2025
Impact Statement
If you know more than four women, you know someone who has been sexually assaulted. Yet the shame and stigma of sexual violence usually lands on its victims. By sharing their stories, our participants are saying to the world that the darkness they experienced is not their fault, and they can hold up their heads, fight injustice, and create solidarity and community with others like them. We believe this film will alleviate survivor stigma and spark prevention programs, funding and greater care for victims, support for violence prevention and building resilient communities. Beyond that, we hope this film is part of an urgently needed global attitude shift that no longer tolerates rape culture, forced marriage, and trade in girls and women.
Centering and celebrating survivor voices to combat stigma, deepen understanding of the impacts of trauma, decolonize our production process, and embrace the strength and individuality of every recovery journey.
Impact Goals
  1. Advocate for more significant support for survivors and the vulnerable, especially livelihood and mental health, by screening with 75 NGOs, government departments, and associations who work in related fields.
  2. Affirm survivors by holding small group events in 20 survivor communities, with therapeutic support and activities.
  3. Address stigma surrounding sexual violence by pairing screenings with art or drama therapy workshops to explore viewers' own experiences. We aim to reach 30 survivors-adjacent networks, vulnerable communities, and faith-based congregations.
  4. Use the film in violence prevention work, holding 35 community-based screenings in the third year with NGO partners to provide post-screening curricula, workshops and activities.
Impact Strategy
    Our target audiences include survivors and their social spheres, service providers, faith-based congregations, policymakers, and at-risk communities. To reach them, we will:
  • Identify anti-trafficking, anti-poverty NGOs, women’s organisations, survivor networks, funders, and mental health professionals for a series of brain trusts to screen the film and discuss strategies to leverage its message.
  • Hold follow-up forums with organisations, funders and survivor leaders to discuss possible collaborations.
  • Consult with experienced organisers on effective strategies for engaging audiences on stigma and trauma.
  • Engage mission-aligned funders in our iterative learning process to continually improve and sustain our strategies.
Contact
Primary contact
Jennifer Huang (United States): jennhuang@gmail.com

Organisations
Amara Legal Center
Entertainment 2 Affect Change – E2AC – in talks
EverFree – in talks
National Alliance of Filipino Women – Gabriela,- in talks
My Refuge House

Funders
Berkeley Film Foundation
CMP – Chicago Media Project
Firelight/PBS – applied
Manaaki Foundation
The Storyboard Collective

Others
Various pertinent organisations in California

Organisations
Amara Legal Center
Entertainment 2 Affect Change – E2AC – in talks
EverFree – in talks
National Alliance of Filipino Women – Gabriela,- in talks
My Refuge House

Funders
Berkeley Film Foundation
CMP – Chicago Media Project
Firelight/PBS – applied
Manaaki Foundation
The Storyboard Collective

Others
Various pertinent organisations in California