May 30, 2017

We are pleased to announce that The Wrong Light will be opening in US theaters this summer starting Friday, July 14th, 2017 at the Cinema Village in New York City.  Stay tuned for screening times and information about Q&As with the directors, Josie Swantek Heitz and Dave Adams.

In The Wrong Light, a charismatic activist leads a globally-regarded NGO that provides shelter and education for girls rescued from brothels in Northern Thailand. But as the filmmakers meet the girls and their families, discrepancies begin to emerge and the story takes an unexpected turn.

WINNER – Grand Jury Prize – NJ Films – Montclair Film Festival
Official Selection – Cleveland International Film Festival
Official Selection – Atlanta Film Festival
Official Selection – Heartland Film Festival
Plus an Official Selection at UNAFF Film Festival, Milwaukee Film Festival, Louisiana International Film Festival, Cine-World Film Festival

“The Wrong Light plays like a film noir set in the tropics.” 
— Bob Cannon, The Montclair Times

“A swirling mystery…heartbreaking and hopeful all at once.” 
— Darren Dean, producer of Tangerine

Synopsis: Amidst growing international concern about human trafficking, a nonprofit organization named COSA was founded in 2005 by Mickey Choothesa with the stated mission of serving as a refuge for at-risk and trafficked girls in Northern Thailand. Mickey, a self-described war photographer-turned-activist with an “upstream” prevention approach to trafficking, promoted COSA as a sanctuary providing educational opportunities for young girls. His work drew international donors, a steady stream of western visitors, and global press attention.

Filmmakers Josie Swantek Heitz and Dave Adams were fascinated by the story of two young girls who had been sold into the sex trade by their parents and were later rescued by COSA. They believed they had found a harrowing and uplifting story of heroism worthy of a feature-length documentary. With this in mind, they traveled to Thailand where they interviewed many of the rescued girls at COSA and travelled to their villages to speak with their families.

Unexpectedly, their conversations with both the girls and their families contradicted Mickey’s version of their stories, making the truth that much more elusive. Reluctantly, they became subjects in the film, revealing the story as it unfolded for them. THE WRONG LIGHT is the fascinating and troubling account of their quest to find answers and tell the real story of COSA, its work, and its impact on the young girls.

Who is Mickey Choothesa? Who are these girls? And who is responsible for their representation and exploitation?

Official Movie Website:
http://www.thewronglight.com

Official Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/TheWrongLight

Credits:
Directors: Josie Swantek Heitz, Dave Adams
Produced by: Susan MacLaury, Josie Swantek Heitz
Executive Producers: Albie Hecht, Barbara Dobkin
Co-Producer: Alexandra Blaney
Dir. of Photography: Dave Adams
Editors: Chris Tuss, Matt Cascella
Music By: Adam Taylor
Animation: Jonathan Ng, Grace An
Production Company: Shine Global, Inc

Shine Global, a non-profit media company, gives voice to children by telling stories of their resilience to raise awareness, promote action, and inspire change. The organization’s films have won more than 50 major awards including an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject for Inocente and an Academy Award®-nomination and two Emmys® for War/Dance.

Cinema Guild is a premier distributor of independent, foreign and documentary films. Upcoming releases include Theo Anthony’s Rat Film and Patrick Shen’s In Pursuit of Silence. Recent theatrical releases include Albert Serra’s The Death of Louis XIV, Mehrdad Oskouei’s Starless Dreams, Asghar Farhadi’s About Elly and Lisandro Alonso’s Jauja.

Runtime: 78 minutes
USA, Thailand/ Not Rated
In Mien and English with English subtitles