Spanish director Patricia Franquesa turned a traumatic experience into a powerful documentary after hackers threatened to leak her nude photos stored on her stolen laptop. The film, titled My Sextortion Diary, captures Franquesa’s ordeal as she navigates the extortion attempts and takes control of her own narrative.
Franquesa’s laptop was stolen in a café in Madrid, and three months later, hackers demanded money in exchange for not leaking her intimate photos. Instead of giving in to their demands, Franquesa decided to document the entire experience on film, turning the cameras on herself to reclaim her power.
The documentary, which recently screened at the Sheffield Documentary Festival, sheds light on the risks associated with taking and storing nude photos in the digital age. Franquesa’s decision to upload the images to her own social media as a last resort ultimately led to the hacker ceasing contact.
Despite the challenges of creating a cinematic experience with limited material, My Sextortion Diary has been praised for its engaging storytelling and unconventional approach. Franquesa hopes the film will spark conversations about the need for stronger laws to protect individuals from cyber extortion and raise awareness about the criminal networks behind such acts.
As Franquesa continues to advocate for change, she remains hopeful that her story will serve as a catalyst for understanding and preventing similar incidents in the future. The bittersweet ending of the documentary reflects Franquesa’s journey to reclaim her agency and bring attention to the urgent need for better protections in the digital age.
