emily watson is margaret humpherys who uncovered the forced deportation of thousands of children from the united kingdom to australia. >> it's not about one or two displaced people who lost their mother and father and family. it was something bigger. >> reporter: in 1986 a british woman told humphery as an orphan she was sent to australia, and soon she got bags of letter with the similar story. >> government, churches, and authorities were heavily involved in the deception. >> they knew me when i was a little boy. >> reporter: they were told their families were dead and promised a better life filled with oranges and sunshine in australia, instead they found institution, manual labor, and even sexual abuse. >> they took all my clothes and gave me a pair of shirts and shorts to wear. >> reporter: for 20 years humpherys ban to -- began to reunite the families. it was not until after filming began they offered apoll eyes. >> the -- apologies. >> the apologies were for them and to them, but i felt validated after 25 years. >> reporter: a validation spelling out what happened to a lost gene