Warning: There may be spoilers ahead, as well as the mention of some material that may be inappropriate for children.
A new film has hit the theaters of America, forcing the issue of human trafficking into the forefront of people’s lives. The Whistleblower is based on the true story of Kathy Bolkavac, who, during the late 1990’s to early 2000’s, worked as a UN Peacekeeper in Bosnia. While there, she uncovered an underlying scourge of human trafficking, specifically sex trafficking, taking place in the country. Kathy learns during her investigations that members of the UN, from fellow peacekeepers to police and high officials, not only take part in abusing the victims, but often directly facilitate their abuse. From driving vans of women across the borders to avoid security, to taking bribes for their cooperation, Kathy discovers that the employees of the UN are deeply ingrained in this industry. As usual, some artistic interpretation was taken with the film, which is explained in the opening scene.
Starring Rachel Weisz and including renowned actors Vanessa Redgrave and David Strathairn, The Whistleblower is a tale that deserves to be told, even if it has been somewhat “hollywoodized” to make it palatable for the audience. Even so, it does not back off from showing some of the more horrific experiences that the women go through. Shot in intentionally dark tones with a gritty atmosphere, the film mixes artistic representations with the occasional blatant exhibition, which at times go a little too far. The representations and “almost but not quite” scenes were so well done that further demonstration wasn’t needed and only served to cheapen the overall effect, leaving one puzzled at their purpose. Here is an example of what I mean.
At one point in the film, Kathy is investigating a bar for sex trafficking after she has just been introduced to the subject. In her investigation, she spots a wall of what could be considered “trophy” photos. We are shown close ups of Polaroids featuring nude victims being groped and abused, one by one, and these pictures return several times throughout the film. This is what I would consider to be a blatant exhibition of the victimization and torture that the movie didn’t need. Even if it is “just a movie,” these types of scenes still require actresses and actors to “pretend” to participate in such activities. It then begs the question whether or not “pretending” to be tortured and to torture is any better than reality.
Right after this moment in the film, Kathy investigates a back room where the girls were kept. The camera slides over a floor ingrained with dirt, closes in on a bowl that was used as a toilet, sweeps over a mattress covered in used condoms. A moment later we see a few thick chains lying on a block of cement. These all clearly indicate how the women were being treated and the horrors they had to go through without actually showing their exploitation. Occasionally film makers forget that “less is more” and that sometimes, by keeping something in check, by giving the audiences enough to arrive at the right conclusion without explicitly spelling it out, they can achieve a much higher impact.
You are shown almost all areas of sex trafficking in The Whistleblower, from how a woman can be pulled in, to how johns and pimps respond to the victims. In a way it humanizes what the movie Taken glamorized by delving into the darker shadows of this industry. It takes a stance between mainstream and niche- there are enough elements of action and suspense to keep up the pace and allow a general audience to engage with the story. However, the subject and intensity of the film could be more tolerable to those already involved in the anti-trafficking movement and aware of its severe nature. In other words, this would be a good film to show to those who are interested in learning more about human trafficking, but not necessarily to those who have never heard about the issue before due to the heavy atmosphere and realistic aspects of the film.
The entire movie is a conversation piece which encourages the desire to learn more. It can be a great tool for those in the anti-trafficking movement to use if they are looking for a more lifelike portrayal than Taken offers, as long as you give a warning to your audience beforehand about some of the more intense content of the film. One possible negative is that The Whistleblower is still focused overseas, which could further ingrain in people’s minds that this is an issue “over there,” when human trafficking is happening in their own backyard. It is also focused solely on sex trafficking, and does not address other forms that human trafficking can take. However, it can be used as an effective device to generate awareness, especially if you hold a conversation with your friends, family, and other fellow movie-watchers afterwards, explaining the context and tying it into the reality of trafficking in the United States, and trafficking as a whole. If you can handle the language and nudity and the intense atmosphere of the movie, then The Whistleblower is definitely a must-see.
One more side note, some of the dialogue is difficult to hear and understand, so you will need to keep your ears perked.
Read More about the Signs of Sex Trafficking
Read More about the Signs of Labor Trafficking
Read More about Human Trafficking in Atlanta
