New film “Eden” will tell the story of local North Texas women Kim Chong. Chong is a survivor of human trafficking who eventually escaped sex slavery in the late nineties. The film will premiere at Austin film and music festival SXSW. Directed by Megan Griffiths and stars Jamie Chung, Matt O'Leary and Beau Bridges. The festival is set March 9-17.
The director Megan Griffiths has made three films and is best known for “The Off Hours” that opened at Sundance Film Festival in 2011. Her resent film will tell Chong’s story of survival, endurance and escape. Chong is played by Jamie Chung a American actress born of Korean parents. In talking with Chong she was glad that an actress chosen that would understand the cultural issues of growing up in America with Korean parents.
Chong’s story is a powerful as she was held captive in a warehouse for months. Now is is a advocate for victims by sharing her experiences in slavery. She has fought for the rights of survivors for years and started writing her blog in 2010 “Face of Tears.” Her blog is inspired by her personal journey of healing. She reaches other survivors through her own experience of slavery. And hopes the blog and public speaking will reach more people to prevent and protect others from the same fate.
In addition to the film and blog, Chong has written a book set to be released in 2012. The book will tell her story in more detail from growing up Korean in America to her escape from slavery and creating a life for herself after freedom.
Chong is a local celebrity, as she has turned her tragedy of the past into a survivor's inspirational story of hope. When people met Chong they cannot help but notice that she has innate ability to fight for justice. As a speaker she is not intimidated by people and speaks from the perspective of a survivor. She is unique in her ability to share her story from the point of view that many could never understand. She sees slavery from the inside out instead of the outside in. Chong brings the realities of slavery statistics into light because she is one of the 15,000 Americans that are trafficked within a year. Her story is a powerful reminder that people are vulnerable to slavery. It is also necessary to have healthy survivor sharing what they went through and how to help prevent others from falling victim. In a World that sees statistics as numbers it is more powerful to see the face of survivors, like Kim's.
In an interview with Kim she said "don't call me a victim. I am a survivor." Survivor is exactly who she is, a women that had unspeakable things happen and has used those tragedies to reach out to others and change the World.
"Eden" will be shown three days of the festival March 11, 12 and the 15 at variuos venues in Austin.
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