Francine Guilalas

In Search Of

"In Search Of" is a culminating body of work that explores the damsel-in-distress trope and its impact on missing persons cases through its role as the ideal victim. Francine's video essay, "Stitching the Invisible", explains this connection and documents her process of cross-stitching a portrait of Kevin Lim, an act that deepened her understanding of the trope’s impact. Accompanying the video and cross-stitch portrait are two books: one shares the same title as the video and serves as its full transcription; the other, "The Solved/The Unsolved", contrasts Canada’s solved and unsolved missing persons cases to highlight the real consequences of idealized victimhood.

“While the damsel-in-distress may seem like a relic of fairy tales, her influence persists in how we understand and respond to victimhood today.”