Patricia Franquesa, a Spanish filmmaker, meets her ex-boyfriend at a restaurant in Madrid for lunch. Her laptop is stolen by two men as is visible on security camera footage. She reports the matter to the Madrid police. Two months later a hacker informs her three “compromising pictures” on her laptop will be distributed to all those on her contact list unless $2,400 USD (BITCOIN) is paid.
Patricia informs her contacts that her laptop was stolen and the blackmailing hacker may be contacting them with the explicit photos and if so the e-mail should not be opened but not deleted as it may be used for evidence.
Patricia refuses to pay the ransom and the hacker continues off and on with threats as after all the threat is the weapon and the longer the resistance the more desperate the extorter may get and the less currency the threat has. After all sextortion’s currency is the threat secured by fear of humiliation of the victim.
The police in Madrid and Barcelona dutifully take reports but are not making any progress due to a lack of interest or resources. The two thieves are arrested but the hacker is still at large.
Patricia acts as a sleuth and makes progress in finding the IP address of the hacker (in Spain) which VPN has obfuscated but still can prove somewhat useful. Then the hacker makes a beginner’s mistake narrowing down the list of suspects. The mystery deepens when a full security video emerges with a third man at the scene of the theft talking to the two thieves and signalling them to steal the laptop. At this point my strong suspicions as to who the hacker is are bolstered. Considering the fact the hacker knew Patricia was just returning from vacation is a mistake on the hacker’s part exposing a personal connection. Additionally, why has the hacker spent so much time and effort for a paltry $2,400 ransom. It is beginning to sound like a very personal matter perhaps amounting to revenge.
Patricia defeats the hacker through a bold and unexpected manoeuvre and then makes this documentary about her unpleasant experience. You might want to say for all the anxiety and stress suffered Patricia has her revenge on the hacker.
The documentary throws out a few statistics about sextortion and its true extent is probably greater than published statistics as many of its victims remain silent fearing embarrassment and humiliation if they do so. It assumes even more pernicious dimensions when directed toward adolescents as can be witnessed by the death of Amanda Todd in Canada recently committing suicide in desperation after being sextorted.
The film concludes with an old radio broadcast describing the potential terror of nuclear destruction. Sextortion may have a destructive nuclear effect on its victims.
Screens at HOT DOCS 27/29April2024.
RKS 2024 Film Rating: 86/100.
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