Documentary backdrop image for Dreamcatcher (2015)

2015104 minTV-MAdocumentary

5.6/ 10(17 ratings)• TMDB

Social Justice Human Trafficking

Deep Dive

Dreamcatcher

Rating: 4
Author: Benjamin Lee

2015104 minTV-MAdocumentary

5.6/ 10(17 ratings)• TMDB

Go deeper

Brenda Myers-Powell leads The Dreamcatcher Foundation in Chicago, advocating for women to exit the sex industry while addressing systemic issues of sexual exploitation.

Social Justice Human Trafficking

Genres

Society,

Culture

Director

Kim Longinotto

Watch later

Synopsis

Brenda Myers-Powell leads The Dreamcatcher Foundation in Chicago, advocating for women to exit the sex industry while addressing systemic issues of sexual exploitation.

Go deeper

People

Kim Longinottodirector

Lisa Stevenswriter

Brenda Myers-Powellcast

Synopsis

Brenda Myers-Powell stands at the forefront of a movement in Chicago. As a former sex worker, she leads The Dreamcatcher Foundation, a charity dedicated to helping women exit the sex industry. The film follows her efforts to provide support and advocacy for current sex workers. It captures her personal story of survival and the systemic issues surrounding sexual exploitation. Shot over ten weeks in 2013, "Dreamcatcher" won the World Cinema Directing Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

What Critics Say

Kim Longinotto’s film about the work of Chicago ex-prostitute Brenda Myers-Powell is calm, non-judgmental and engaging.

Benjamin LeeRead full article

March 5, 2015

Deep Dive

Why Watch

Meet Brenda Myers-Powell and her impactful work.
See the challenges women face in the sex industry.
Find out how The Dreamcatcher Foundation operates.

Did You Know

The film won the World Cinema Directing Award at Sundance 2015.
Dreamcatcher was released in the UK on 6 March 2015.
The film has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 31 reviews.
Principal photography lasted ten weeks and began in September 2013.

Perfect For

Social justice advocatesDocumentary enthusiastsChicago community issues

Read full Deep Dive →

Frequently Asked Questions

Who directed the documentary Dreamcatcher?

Dreamcatcher was directed by Kim Longinotto.

What award did Dreamcatcher win at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival?

Dreamcatcher won the World Cinema Directing Award in the documentary category.

When was Dreamcatcher released in the United Kingdom?

Dreamcatcher was released in cinemas and on video on demand in the United Kingdom on 6 March 2015.

Awards & Festivals

Sundance Film Festival

2015 • Award

DOC NYC

2015 • Official selection

DOCVILLE Documentary Film Festival

2015 • Official selection

Awards & Festivals

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

27m

Documentary: Human trafficking victims often hidden in plain sight. SHARE!

2022•27m

Human trafficking victims, including survivors like Susy Andole and Anneke Lucas, are often hidden in plain sight, coerced into forced labor and prostitution.

Documentary: Human trafficking victims often hidden in plain sight. SHARE!

2022

30m

Trafficked In Suburbia (True Crime Documentary)

2019•30m

An 18-year-old girl is found sitting on a corner, raped and beaten, prompting Detective Victoria Dingee to lead a task force against local sex trafficking.

Trafficked In Suburbia (True Crime Documentary)

2019

1h19m

Sex Workers Struggle To Survive On Dangerous Streets

2023•1h19m

Three women from Edmonton have been missing since 2004, as sex workers face ongoing dangers and the threat of violence on the streets.

Sex Workers Struggle To Survive On Dangerous Streets

2023

22m

Capital Shame - South Africa

2007•22m

Child prostitution in South Africa escalates as children are recruited into the sex industry.

Capital Shame - South Africa

2007

25m

The Road to Sexual Slavery

2007•25m

Between 5,000 and 7,000 Nepali girls are smuggled to Indian brothels each year, often unaware of their fate and stripped of their freedom.

The Road to Sexual Slavery

2007

24m

An Ex-Prostitute's Sanctuary For Trafficked Sex Slaves

2018•24m

Every year, thousands of girls, some as young as 15, are trafficked from Nigeria to Italy and forced into prostitution.

An Ex-Prostitute's Sanctuary For Trafficked Sex Slaves

2018

25m

The Nepali Girls Forced Into Prostitution

2018•25m

Between 5,000 and 7,000 Nepali girls are trafficked to brothels in India each year, often unaware of their fate until it is too late.

The Nepali Girls Forced Into Prostitution

2018

28m

The Horrifying Truth About Tanzania's Den Of Prostitutes

2014•28m

In Hyena Square, Dar Es Salaam, young sex workers like Elisa face exploitation and poverty, yet some strive to help others escape similar fates.

The Horrifying Truth About Tanzania's Den Of Prostitutes

2014

48m

Women Behind Bars in Philippines: How to Survive the Mandaluyong Prison?

2025•48m

Mandaluyong City's Correctional Institution for Women, the oldest women's prison in the Philippines, houses over three thousand inmates amid strict security challenges.

Women Behind Bars in Philippines: How to Survive the Mandaluyong Prison?

2025

1h40m

Nefarious: Merchant of Souls

2020•1h40m

Modern-day slavery is exposed through firsthand accounts and expert analysis, revealing the harsh realities of human trafficking across nineteen countries.

Nefarious: Merchant of Souls

2020

44m

Inside Airport Lost & Found

2022•44m•★2.0TMDB

Millions of belongings are misplaced at airports each year, with lost items traveling from Seattle to auction houses in Pittsburgh and sales in Alabama.

Inside Airport Lost & Found

2022

Tibetan Refugees: The Hardest Fight For Justice After 70 Years Of Exile

2026•1h

Tibetan refugees, after 70 years in exile, continue to seek justice, as illustrated by Sonam Choeden's return to India and insights from the 14th Dalai Lama.

Tibetan Refugees: The Hardest Fight For Justice After 70 Years Of Exile

2026

Explore Dreamcatcher

Trailer Cast & Crew Awards Deep Dive Topics FAQ Stream

Where else to watch

1h50m

Whores' Glory

2011•1h50m•★6.8TMDB

600 to 800 women work in a vast brothel called the City of Joy in Faridpur, Bangladesh, where prices for sex are negotiated among madams.

Whores' Glory

2011

54m

Shattered Dreams: Sex Trafficking in America

2019•54m•★8.0TMDB

Three survivors of sex trafficking share their experiences, revealing the psychological trauma inflicted by pimps and buyers in America.

Shattered Dreams: Sex Trafficking in America

2019

1h1m

Save My Seoul

2017•1h1m•★3.0TMDB

Two Korean-American brothers use hidden cameras to expose the realities of prostitution and sex trafficking in Seoul.

Save My Seoul

2017

1h39m

Sweetheart Deal

2022•1h39m•★6.9TMDB

Four sex workers in Portland, Oregon, find refuge in a roadside RV, where a self-proclaimed healer offers companionship and a path to recovery.

Sweetheart Deal

2022

1h5m

Dream's Gate

2023•1h5m•★8.5TMDB

Negin Ahmadi travels to North Syria to meet Kurdish women fighters resisting oppression while grappling with her own identity and societal expectations.

Dream's Gate

2023

1h7m

Night Nursery

2021•1h7m•★8.5TMDB

Every evening, an elderly woman over 80 years old cares for the children of local prostitutes in Bobo-Dioulasso while their mothers work until dawn.

Night Nursery

2021

50m

Hummingbird

2004•50m•★7.7TMDB

Two non-profits in Recife, Brazil, work to help children escape the streets and empower women to break free from domestic violence.

Hummingbird

2004

1h30m

Maineland

2017•1h30m•★4.6TMDB

Chinese teenagers from wealthy families arrive at a boarding school in Maine, seeking the American dream and facing cultural challenges.

Maineland

2017

Browse more like this

48m

Women Behind Bars in Philippines: How to Survive the Mandaluyong Prison?

2025•48m

Mandaluyong City's Correctional Institution for Women, the oldest women's prison in the Philippines, houses over three thousand inmates amid strict security challenges.

Women Behind Bars in Philippines: How to Survive the Mandaluyong Prison?

2025

No digital watch option in your country

44m

Inside Airport Lost & Found

2022•44m•★2.0TMDB

Millions of belongings are misplaced at airports each year, with lost items traveling from Seattle to auction houses in Pittsburgh and sales in Alabama.

Inside Airport Lost & Found

2022

No digital watch option in your country

1h3m

Sex: My British Job

2013•1h3m•★5.2TMDB

Over 2,000 illegal brothels operate in London, with 80% of the workers being foreign nationals, many of whom face exploitation.

Sex: My British Job

2013

1h3m

Dreaming in the Red Light

2020•1h3m•★8.5TMDB

In Angeles City, a mother and her half-German daughter navigate the challenges of life near the Red Light district, confronting societal pressures and limited options.

Dreaming in the Red Light

2020

1h46m

Scarlet Road

2012•1h46m•★3.8TMDB

Rachel Wotton provides sex services to clients with disabilities, advocating for their sexual rights in a society that often overlooks their needs.

Scarlet Road

2012

1h31m

Thailand Dreams

2016•1h31m

Thailand's beaches attract Western men seeking relationships with Thai women, raising questions about love, exploitation, and the mail-order bride phenomenon.

Thailand Dreams

2016