In this atmospheric documentary, one of the lesser known horrors of the international fishing industry operating out of Indonesia — that they capture free men as slaves, often for years at a time — is exposed. One indomitable woman, a cancer survivor named Patima Tungpuchayakul, searches for these men, returning them home to Thailand, Burma, and other places after years of high-seas enslavement. She and her small organization help the men sue for back wages they’re owed, and win these cases against all odds. With no thought for her own safety, Patima and her crew rent a boat in Indonesia, seek out the captured men and confront illegal fishing boat crews. She and her team are steadfast in their desire to bring the workers back, or at least connect them with long-lost family through social media. Even Thailand’s president takes notice of their efforts to eliminate slavery and return these “lost” men to freedom.

In competition for the Schlesinger Documentary Award.

Director Shannon Service