Private Project

Forgotten Sex Slaves - Comfort Women in the Philippines

During the Second World War thousands of women in Asia were forced to work as prostitutes for Japanese soldiers. Some of them were still teenagers. They were raped, often beaten and abused. The Japanese called them “ianfu” or Comfort Women. After the war the survivors struggled to continue with their lives, hiding what many considered to be a “shame”. After having been silent for more than 50 years they have started to tell their stories. Until today, they are waiting for an adequate compensation and official acknowledgment of their victimization. They are in their Eighties and Nineties now and time is running out for them.

This intimate, touching film tells the story of nine comfort women in the Philippines and follows their efforts to find justice before they die.

  • Bjoern Jensen
    Director
  • Bjoern Jensen
    Writer
  • Crisanta Alcaraz
    Writer
  • Bettina Ehrhardt
    Writer
  • Bjoern Jensen
    Producer
  • Alexander Laudien
    editor
  • Joerg Winkelmann
    Composer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Social, Current Affaires, History
  • Runtime:
    46 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    March 1, 2015
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Philippines
  • Language:
    English, Tagalog
  • Shooting Format:
    HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Screened on over 30 international festivals, One time Award Winner, three time Finalist. Several cinema screenings by Amnesty International and other NGO´s. Acquired by several TV stations
Distribution Information
  • Ginger Foot Films
    Distributor
    Country: Germany
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Bjoern Jensen

In over 25 years, Björn worked as supervising producer, executive producer and consultant on Dozens of documentary and feature films, many of them award-winning. Credits include “Quiet Days in Hollywood” with Hilary Swank, “Montreal Symphony” (winner best Canadian documentary at FIFA), “Under the Ice” (winner best documentary at Kuala Lumpur Festival), “Scientists Under Attack” (winner 11 international festival awards) and many more. He holds a Master Degree in German and English Literature (MA) and an International Business MBA and is board member of several film associations. Björn worked for 15 years as Head of Production for the production company Kick Film GmbH before he founded Ginger Foot Films in 2007.

With Ginger Foot Films he offers consulting services to documentary and feature film producers in the areas of development, financing, production and distribution. For German Documentaries Björn Jensen organizes delegations of German independent documentary producers to international festivals and markets. He is consultant for the distinguished market Sunny Side of the Doc for the Asian market and the Chinese production company China Film Assist. As treasurer he is member of the board of directors of AG DOK (the largest association of indepentent film professionals in Germany), member of the advisory council of German Films, member of the tax expert committee of the German Cultural Council, member of the evaluation committee of Bild-Kunst, member of the friend's association of Munich University of Television and Film and member of the friend's association of Dok.Fest Munich.

Björn moderates panel discussions and pitchings. He co-developed the Asian-European training initiative DOCROADS, teaches at film schools in Europe and Asia and holds regularily international workshops in production, financing and pitching.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

“Forgotten Sex Slaves” is the first international documentary on the issue of Comfort Women in the Philippines. The project was pitched at several festivals and markets, including GZDOC in Guangzhou, Latin Side of the Doc, Mexico City and Asian Side of the DOC Kuala Lumpur. The film has been completely self financed with a crowd funding campaign and in-kind contributions. No TV station or film fund supported the production of this film. It took several years to be finished.