Lucy Liu covers important ground

I find it interesting that sometimes the most important issues are virtually ignored, until a celebrity puts their face to an issue. The major news media just doesn't care and ignores the issue, until they get a chance to grab ratings.

Such is the case with the growing problem of child sex slaves across the globe. It's an issue that the major media just doesn't want to talk about. As if they think the problem will go away if we don't talk about it. But Lucy Liu is among a growing number of Americans talking about this issue and trying to get something done.

Lucy Liu has produced a film, Red Light, that details how young women are bought as sex slaves in Cambodia. The film addresses what is the 3rd most profitable business, beaten only by drug trafficing and weapons sales. It's a dubious list to be on top of, and I cannot see how anyone would be against such a cause (except those that are buying the sex slaves).

This is also not a new subject for me to cover. Long-time readers of my blog likely recall that this April I interviewed Abigail Disney at the Tribeca Film Festival where she was showing the film Playground. That film also detailed the child sex slave industry and tracked it not just in Cambodia, but right here in America. Yes, Americans are involved in this as much as other countries considered far more seedy.

My video interview with Abigail wasn't as long as I had hoped (there was another film she produced - Pray the Devil Back to Hell that we spoke a great deal about in the video) on this issue [Discussion of Playground and the child sex trade starts at 3:45 in the video]



, but I did follow up with an email continuation on the subject found here - Producer Abigail Disney discusses the independant film Playground

Like Liu, Disney too found that Cambodia is on the worst end of the scale when it comes to child sex trafficing

"Abigail Disney : The government of Costa Rica has made admirable progress in confronting not only the sex-tourism trade, but also the corruption that so often goes with it. Cambodia is notably at the opposite end of the spectrum, and the numbers of girls getting sucked into the sex trade there and the ferocity of the people protecting that business are overwhelming. "

I'm glad that this subject is getting more attention. It deserves to be an issue that the world acts to end. This is a deplorable situation that should not exist in the 21 century.

Perhaps when more celebrities like Lucy Liu join up with activiists and independant filmmakes like Abigail Disney, the major news media will get off its ass and help put pressure on contries like Cambodia. Until then I recommend that readers watch both films and learn more about this and how to help the U.N. end this horrible business.

Producer Abigail Disney discusses the independant film Playground

For my readers that recall my interviews at the Tribeca Film Festival, you will note that I had to cut my interview with producer Abigail Disney short. We were discussing Pray The Devil Back To Hell and Playground, but most of our time was spent on Pray The Devil Back To Hell (which documented the incredible success of the women of Liberia in creating peace in that nation).

As I mentioned, I have a follow-up interview with Abigail that delves into the independant film Playground. This interview was conducted via email, but is as interesting as when we spoke in person.


Michael Vass : When last we had the chance to speak the Tribeca Film Festival was still underway and one of the films you had at the festival was Playground. We didn’t have a chance to speak more about the film at the time. I’m sure many of my readers would like to know what the documentary is about, and how it did at the festival?

Abigail Disney : Playground is about the dark and lesser known world of child sex trafficking in America, which is the number one tourist destination in the world for travelers looking for sex with children. The film found very appreciative audiences at Tribeca, which was gratifying, since it’s a difficult topic.


Michael Vass : The subject of children forced to have sex and being sold as property is a difficult one for many to explore. But your film delves into the fact that this is one of the fastest growing crimes in the world. Have you gotten any feedback for politicians anywhere?

Abigail Disney : Both activists and politicians have shown lots of interest in the film, and we are hoping to have an impact on policy by illuminating the human impact of some of our more counter productive policies around children and sexuality.


Michael Vass : I know you and the director of the film had a great deal of difficulty, and potential threats on your life, making this film. What was that experience like?

Abigail Disney : Well, I can’t say as I’ve had threats on my life directly, but I know that Libby Spears, the director has. She is an incredibly tenacious and dedicated woman, who is so passionately devoted to raising awareness of these kids that she was willing to face up to those threats to get the film done. She was going to get this film done no matter what the consequences for her personally. She is an incredibly brave human being.


Michael Vass : Of the women you were able to speak with about this subject, what did they have to say?

Abigail Disney : If you listen to the women in this film, the women who grew up in the world, you just want to curl up and cry. Or stand up and shout. I mean, the idea that prostitution is a “victimless crime” has got to be gotten rid of once and for all, regardless of the age of the prostitute. When you consider the percentage of women in the field who were sexually abused as kids, it is difficult to imagine that that experience did not have everything to do with their situations as adults.


Michael Vass : Are there any organizations that are working on this issue, any Governments that are actively trying to end this?

Abigail Disney : The government of Costa Rica has made admirable progress in confronting not only the sex-tourism trade, but also the corruption that so often goes with it. Cambodia is notably at the opposite end of the spectrum, and the numbers of girls getting sucked into the sex trade there and the ferocity of the people protecting that business are overwhelming. NGO’s and the UN are working hard to confront the sex trade, and particularly the trade in children, but frankly I believe we won’t make substantive progress until we significantly change our attitudes about gender and sexuality.


Michael Vass : Your film highlights that this is not just a problem in other parts of the world, but also here in America. Since the film was shown at Tribeca have you seen more attention on this issue here?

Abigail Disney : There has been definite movement among politicians interested in making strides on this front. Really, the film makes us look deeply stupid as a country on this issue!


Michael Vass : Are the conditions that the women and children go through as bad as what is in the film, or are those the best conditions and the others so severe you could not get them on film or past censors?

Abigail Disney : Libby concentrated on particular human stories, and so the film is not really a survey of conditions around the country. The conditions do vary depending on local laws and customs, and can get incredibly hideous in the hands of some people. The photos you see of small children in the sex trade give you a taste of how hellish their lives must be.


Michael Vass : For those that want to be more involved in this issue, or any of the issues you champion, where can they go for more information? What events do you have planned?

Abigail Disney : I would send people to two places. Playground has a website that has lots of information at www.playgroundproject.com and there is a section on resources to learn about how to help. Also the Center for Missing and Exploited Children is a remarkable organization that does great advocacy on these issues and they are a great NGO to support.


Michael Vass : Considering that you tend to produce movies on some of the more interesting and less discussed issues of our day, what is the next project you are working on?

Abigail Disney : Well, thanks for asking! Gini Reticker, who made Pray the Devil Back to Hell with me, and I are developing a series on Women, War & Peace for WNET/Wide Angle, the premier international affairs documentary series on American Public Television. We are incredibly excited about the opportunity. Not only have women always been WAY more affected by war than our culture has ever cared to admit, but their role in wars has changed in last 50 years in ways we would do well to attend to. They are not only more overtly and sadistically being targeted, particularly in the proliferation of ethnic and civil wars around the globe, but they are also stepping up more and more as activists, politicians, international figures of peace and even as soldiers and generals. Their participation in all aspects of war has subtly changed this eternal fact of human history, perhaps irrevocably.


Michael Vass : For those not able to see this film in smaller localities or who missed its initial run, when do you expect the DVD to be released, and how might they purchase it?

Abigail Disney : We are planning a limited release this fall and will be updating our website, www.playgroundproject.com, with details.

I want to thank Abigail Disney for our first and this follow-up interview, and apologize for running over time at the Tribeca Film Festival in the first place.

I also recommend to all my readers both films that Abigail has produced. I found them to be powerful and engaging films. They are well worth the time at a theater, and/or as a DVD purchase for your home.

Plus I am looking forward to Women, War & Peace which will be on American Public Television and WNET. Given the quality of the independant films mentioned above, I have no doubt this television program will be equally of high quality and importance.

Abigail Disney interviewed at the Tribeca Film Festival

The last interview I had at the Tribeca Film Festival was with producer Abigail Disney. She had 2 films at this years festival - Playground and Pray The Devil Back To Hell - both documentaries.

Both of these films are powerful stories on subject that Hollywood and the major media just won't touch. Which is a shame as what is being shown to the audience is important and affects millions of lives. Let me clarify what I mean.

Pray The Devil Back To Hell is the story of the women of Liberia (Chrisitians and Muslims) that joined together to create peace in their war-torn land. This was not political, or religious. It was exactly what Dr. Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi did. And it worked. In fact it is being used as a template (for those women that have seen the film) to bring peace to other regions of the world.

Playground is another documentary based in solid fact. It covers the child sex trade from overseas to the U.S. and back again. It details how over 300,000 U.S. children, and perhaps countless others in the world are in danger from this growin issue. It is a call for attention to a subject that the U.S. media is either to squeamish or uncaring to cover.

Both documentaries are movies that need to be seen. They deserve coverage. And they are the only means currently for anyone to know what has happened. Because CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and all the other news media are ignoring the subjects.

But enough of what I think of the subject, here is Abigail Disney in her own words.





Don't forget about the International Day of Peace.

Also, I want to apologize to Abigail for not covering enough of Playground in this interview. I will be following up with her to get the rest of that interview soon.

More from the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival

As I continue to edit and prepare the interviews that I had at the Tribeca Film Festival, I wanted to give my readers a heads up on what are some of the top movies at the festival. There are several that I noticed everyone speaking about, and holding quite a bit of buzz. I'm happy to say that the movies I have seen and had interviews on are in this group.

Looking at the realm of comedies the big winners from what I have heard seem to be 2 British films.

In The Loop



And My Last 5 Girlfriends (which I can't seem to find a movie trailer for - sorry, it's late).

In far more serious film there is the international documentary Yodok Stories




And of course the Iranian film About Elli (again no trailer)

Also in the documentaries category there is the film American Casino - directed by Leslie Cockburn and produced by Andrew Cockburn. I will have the interview up as soon as possible. I will also be posting a review of the powerful and timely film. As a side note I must say that my conversation before, during, and after the interview with Andrew was informative and pleasantly intriguing.

Other films drawing a buzz include Handsome Harry


(I really enjoyed speaking with Jamey Sheridan, Bette Gordon, and Mariann Mayberry. I will have that interview posted as well.)

Playground, Shadow Billionaire, and Pray the Devil Back to Hell (which I have the interview with Abigail Disney, and the review of the movie to post) round out the movies I heard the most about while I was at the Tribeca Film Festival.

This is not to say all the films at the Festival are not fantastic. The work by the various actors, directors, and producers all stand miles ahead of 90% of the commercial major studio releases so far this year, and likely of the last several years including this one. And I believe that this years festival included at least one movie that any fan might enjoy. But these were the ones that I heard mentioned the most.

Well it's time to get back to the editing and writing the reviews. More on this soon.

Tribeca Film Festival 2009

This will be a bit short as I am about to go into an interview with Abigail Disney, executive producer of Pray The Devil Back To Hell and Playground.

This has been a very exciting day so far as I have had video interviews with Andrew Cockburn (who I apologized to for Americanizing his last name) - the producer of the very well received documentary film American Casino.

American Casino is a film about the mortgage crisis, starting in January 2008. It covers multiple aspects of the crisis, and provides the stories of several people affected by the meltdown. This film is an emotional and honest portrayal of how regular Americans have been decimated by this international event. It's a film I am glad to have seen and recommend. The video interview will be up shortly.

Also I had the chance to speak with Bette Gordon, director of Handsome Harry. Our video interview covered the range of independant films Gordon has done, her influences and motivations. She gave me an insight to her artistic view, and the vision she eloquently shares with the audience in her films.

As she so simply and fully stated

'I like to look for the uncomfortable moments, the bits of silence. Its those moments that say so much and reveal the inner truth.' - my paraphrase.

I think everyone will enjoy that interview as well. Especially up and coming directors and entertainers.

I even had a chance to speak with Jamey Sheridan, which many may recall from the cable miniseries event, The Stand, or his role in Law and Order: Criminal Intent.

Sheridan is a bit taller than I expected. He was also very pleasant to speak with and shared with me an interesting bit of information. Though he has been acting for many years, and has been in many successful films, the Tribeca Film Festival is the first festival he has been at. Well with the exception of Venice, but that was not quite the same.

Sheridan is the lead of Handome Harry, Gordon's film here at the festival. Along with Steve Buscemi, Campbell Scott, John Savage, and Adain Quinn the film looks at a group of men, and their inner secrets and journey from their 20's to today.

There has been a huge buzz on each of these fims and several people I have spoken to have noted that each of these films are drawing massive attention. Honestly I am not surprised.

I want to thank Direct TV for the Direct TV Tribeca Press Center, which was an excellent location. I also want to than Fat Dot, and of course the directors, producers, and actors I was able to speak with today.

Look for the video interviews shortly.