"Hunting Jessica Brok" Travels to the United States
- Mel Davis
- Feb 15
- 2 min read
From the South African big screen to the United States, Hunting Jessica Brok unveils a story of survival that transcends language. It’s a story that has been told over and over again: women aren’t always safe.
The film centers on Jessica Brok (Danica De La Rey Jones), a former special forces operative who disappeared from her violent past, changed her name to Linda, and built a quiet life running a vulture rescue center while raising her daughter. Believing she had left her lethal identity behind, her past resurfaces when Daniel an ex-lover and former comrade long presumed dead arrives wounded, warning her that a ruthless criminal organization they
once fought is still active and targeting her.
Forced back into a world she tried to escape, Jessica (Danica De La Rey Jones) must confront the same men responsible for atrocities they once failed to stop. When her daughter is taken and she herself is captured and tortured, her old instincts reignite. Reclaiming her identity as a deadly operative, she methodically dismantles the organization in a brutal campaign of vengeance.
I virtually sat down with two cast members from the film to dive a little deeper into this tale of survival. Unfortunately, trafficking is a global reality many attempt to escape, but aren’t always able to. Hunting Jessica Brok reveals one side of the horrors of that harsh reality. Thankfully for Jessica’s daughter, her mother’s reputation precedes her because “she got to save her.” For the most part, "people don’t come back. People don’t get saved", says co-star Richard Lukunku.
What makes this film impactful is the effort poured into telling the story authentically. In order to portray something real, the cast had to embody not just the characters, but the emotional weight they carried. “I wanted the story of survival to transcend. I learned not to judge the character and to give her full autonomy over my body. What I love about her is that I sat in the fear with her,” said De La Rey Jones.
For Lukunku, being part of this film meant being part of the solution. He wanted the captors to be seen for who they truly were. “The wages of sin is death,” he said. “I want the perpetrators of such crimes to see themselves. I want (these) people to see themselves and even if you're not getting it right now, that "bitch" life and nobody is catching you right now, it's gonna come". He wants viewers to understand that people who commit these acts cannot truly get away with them. As he put it, “even if you don’t die physically, you die internally.” In other words, you will not be able to live with yourself.
I agree with those sentiments. The film is action-packed, yet it also offers an unfiltered look at a woman’s pain, strength, and pursuit of safety. While the narrative is fictional, the pain and the underlying message are very real. It’s a journey that can inspire, provoke thought, and still keep audiences fully engaged.
Catch Hunting Jessica Brok in theaters everywhere!
Interview with Danica De La Rey and Richard Lukunku
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