Houston filmmakers debut powerful short film focused on sex trafficking

Houston natives create human trafficking film

FOX 26 Reporter Gabby Hart spoke with the Houston natives about the film and what message they hope to deliver through the film.

HOUSTON - Two filmmakers and Houston natives are using their skills to bring awareness to sex trafficking. They kicked off a screening tour Thursday night at a 2nd Cup Cafe in the Heights.

Truffle Sauce is a 16-minute short film raising awareness about sex trafficking. Both the writer Shannan E. Johnson and the Director Isaac Yowman are Houstonians.

"We want people to be activated, to be more aware of the subject," said Yowman.

The film follows a college student, who's also a former sex trafficking victim and selling truffle sauce in a grocery store to try and make a better life, but her past keeps coming back to haunt her.

"Learn about this, because as I was making this film and doing research, I realized how high up Houston was on the map," Johnson said.

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Texas reports the 2nd-highest number of human trafficking cases in the nation. These filmmakers are hoping their work will help inspire more people to get involved and help.

"You're not for sale, your freedom is not for sale. You get an opportunity to decide what your life is going to be, so this is kind of a way to project their voices," Johnson said.

Johnson and Yowman will be hosting seven separate screening's throughout the city over the next couple of weeks; organizers have invited city leaders, politicians, and law enforcement to attend.

After each viewing, they'll hold a Q&A session, that includes survivors of sex trafficking.

"Hopefully, it impacts the city," Yowman said.

Yowman has done projects with the likes of PBS and Netflix, but he says this short independent film is just as important.

"For me, if the story does not inspire people to want to change or actually create an action item, or a conversation after the piece, then it means nothing to me," he said.

The actors in Truffle Sauce, and the people working behind the scenes, are all from the Houston area.

There will be one screening open to the public on Wednesday, June 22 at 7 p.m.

You can RSVP by e-mailing trufflesauce@iyovisuals.com