Sex Traffic (TV 2004)

Boston based Kernwell Industries is an American defense contractor. One of those contracts is to deploy 3,000 peacekeepers to the International Peacekeeping Coalition's work in the Balkans.... See full summary »

Director:

David Yates

Writer:

Abi Morgan

Stars:

Wendy Crewson, John Simm, Anamaria Marinca

18 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Wendy Crewson	...	Madeleine Harlsburgh
John Simm	...	Daniel Appleton
Anamaria Marinca	...	Elena Visinescu
Maria Popistasu	...	Vara Visinescu
Chris Potter	...	Tom Harlsburgh
Len Cariou	...	Magnus Herzoff
Maury Chaykin	...	Ernie Dwight
Luke Kirby	...	Callum Tate
Robert Joy	...	Major James Brooke
Rodica Negrea	...	Luiba Visinescu
Carlotta Natoli	...	Lola Carizonne
Barbara Eve Harris	...	Audrey Dupoint
Andre Prisecaru	...	Alex (Lexi) (as Andrei Prisecaru)
Zoltan Butuc	...	Petre Danielski
Elina Löwensohn	...	Maria Danielski

Storyline

Boston based Kernwell Industries is an American defense contractor. One of those contracts is to deploy 3,000 peacekeepers to the International Peacekeeping Coalition's work in the Balkans. Because of the near epidemic problem of sex trafficking of young Balkan women, Kernwell has decided to support the charity, Worldwide Federation Against Forced Migration. Kernwell's head of charities is Madeleine Harlsburg, the wife of the company's CEO, Tom Harlsburg. Although it does not have a pristine reputation as a good social corporate citizen, Kernwell hits a bigger public relations problem when it is learned that one of those 3,000 peacekeepers was caught trying to buy the services of a teen-aged prostitute in Sarajevo. Although not named to the media, that person is Sergeant Callum Tate, who swears he was trying to save that woman. In reality, Tate has evidence of a larger conspiracy of sex trafficking. Regardless of the truth or falsehood of accusations, some within Kernwell will do ...

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Plot Keywords:

sex trafficking | pimp | forced prostitution | corruption | white slavery | 

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Genres:

Drama | Crime

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Details

Official Sites:

CBC [ca] Channel 4 [uk]

Country:

UK Canada

Language:

English Albanian Italian Romanian

Release Date:

14 October 2004 (UK)

Also Known As:

Seksiorjat

Filming Locations:

Bucharest, Romania

Company Credits

Production Co:

Big Motion Pictures, Granada Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

189 min 225 min (2 parts) 180 min (2 parts)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Anamaria Marinca had never acted in front of cameras before her role as Elena Visinescu.

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Quotes

Billy Harlsburgh: Mom, you are one of the most smartest people I know. But when it comes to dad, I think you just enjoy being dumb!

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Connections

References Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

User Reviews

Human traffic

It's easy to understand why someone who is starving and homeless might risk everything in search of a better life abroad. But there are countries in which, although they are poorer than the affluent west, people can get by. So why do their citizens endure the most appalling hardship as economic migrants and illegal immigrants? Blame it on the grotesque disparities in exchange rates, which mean that a year's savings in Britain might be a lifetime's in Moldova; but blame it also on our most corrosive export, the myth that sustains our own societies, that man can control his own destiny, that we can, that we must, always seek to make something more of our lives. The irony is that the pursuit of this dream can take all of us only further away from what matters: a place in which, and people with whom, we can be at home.

The subject matter of migration has been excellently served in recent years, through the wonderful Channel Four documentary, 'The Last Peasants', and through Michael Winterbottom's sublime film, 'In This World'. 'Sex Traffic' completes a noble trilogy, with its harrowing but sadly convincing script, fine direction and stunning performances from its leads: British actor John Simm and, in two more demanding roles, a brilliant pair of young Romanian actresses, Anamaria Varince and Maria Popistasu. Serious but also dramatic, this is an outstanding mini-series. I have only two relatively minor quibbles: the journalistic, pseudo-documentary feel is slightly overdone, especially in episode one (the story doesn't need such heavy-handed treatment); and the strange way the film stigmatises an American multinational company. It's perfectly reasonable to believe that the power of such companies is one the main causes of the economic imbalances that fundamentally drive migration; but this company is merely guilty of covering up the fact that some of its employees have done bad things (but of course, it's easier to blame a bogeyman than it is to blame ourselves, and our own outrageous share of the global wealth). Don't let these matters put you off watching one of the most outstanding, emotional, and important, dramas of the year.