This article discusses sex trafficking and may be triggering for some readers. The Journal uses “survivor” to refer to those who have experienced sexual assault and sex trafficking. We acknowledge this term is not universal.
As part of the Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF), Dark Highway had its world premiere at the Kingston Grand Theatre.
The documentary, debuting on Feb. 29, seeks to raise awareness and normalize conversations around human trafficking. It follows filmmaker Anna Jane Edmonds as she interviews survivors and experts on human trafficking.
On the red carpet, The Journal spoke with director Anna Jane Edmonds, survivor and advocate Kelly Tallon Franklin, and producer and editor Gina Simone.
According to Edmonds, making the film was a three-year-long journey that began by finding an article about human trafficking in Ontario.
The film’s title refers to the significance of the Highway 401 as a major corridor for trafficking victims. The film includes interviews with survivors and experts, presenting the barriers survivors of sex trafficking face when they attempt to come forward.
“I was very adamant you can’t engage in a topic like this if you don’t have people that can speak to with true lived experience. That’s when we started working with Kelly, and she was an instrumental component to us finding all these other incredible people and really bringing it together,” Edmonds said.
Edmonds and Simone have collaborated for over a decade in the Toronto independent film scene. They went into this project thinking they were making a short film, having made multiple short documentaries before.
Despite starting out as a short film, the team faced an important decision after they shot over 30 hours of footage. Edmonds could recall the moment when her team looked at the footage, and they knew there was too much to keep the story less than an hour long.
Simone spoke about her editing process for the film, which involved understanding important details of the story while making sure the film was a digestible length for audiences.
“It’s not just grab and go. It’s taking in the footage and understanding what you’re listening to and how to piece it together, because you don’t want to miss an important part of somebody’s journey,” Simone said.
Ultimately, the team decided to turn the short film into a feature, making it Edmonds’ feature directorial debut.
“I knew I didn’t want to lose anything we had. Every moment feels so important and like it belongs, and people need to hear it. We took a lot out already and it just felt like we can’t lose any more.”
Kelly Tallon Franklin is an advocate who founded the charity Courage for Freedom. She Received provincial recognition for her work in 2022.
“I’m a survivor historically, but I represent 850 women and girls I’ve helped exit. To have survivors and those that are involved in this production hear they’re not on the cutting room floor was the best news we could hear. That meant there was integrity in the making of the film.” Franklin said.
In the film, Franklin provides insight into the crime of human trafficking by going into detail about how traffickers operate. Franklin stresses the importance of networks for survivors.
Working with survivors is emotionally taxing, but in the film, Franklin is unwavering in her work to help them. When Franklin is asked by Edmonds why she works to help survivors, she says it’s because someone gave her a helping hand.
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