The clue is in the title, Sex Traffic is a drama series about the Sex Trade. An ambitious project for David Yates and Abi Morgan.
Set in the winter of 2004, Sex Traffic has three main strands to it's plot. First is about private American peacekeeping officers in Bosnia who buy and sell Eastern Europe who use them as prostitutes and sell them on to gangsters who traffic them further into Europe. They is the big defence contractor who wants to cover up the activities of their officers because they do not want the bad press but also donating to an anti-trafficking charity. Another focus is Daniel Appleton (John Simm), a charity worker for a trafficking organisation who monitor the trafficking routes into Western Europe. He starts to investigate what is happening in Bosnia, realising that they is more then just gangsters involved. He starts a very public battle risking his reputation and his life reporting this. Finally is the most personal story about 2 young sisters, Elena (Anamaria Marinca) and Vera (Maria Popistasu), from rural Moldova. They are convicted by Vera's boyfriend that he can get them work in London. But they sound question what is really happening, discovered that they have been sold and forced to become prostitutes and are stuck in a world of violence and rape.
This a excellent programme, with a three way interlinking plot much like the brilliant Steven Soderbergh film Traffic and the film Syriana. The obvious focus is on the brutal world of sex trafficking and how outside forces that are involved. This takes a realistic view on sex trafficking compared to the not so good film Taken. Abi Morgan writes a very good script, especially involving the story about Elena and Vera. She adds a lot of moral ambiguity, even with punters; it is not a completely black and white world. Many of the characters have faults and conscience. Morgan also show that even when women are freed that their are still targets for traffickers. David Yates shows also shows his skill as a director; both as a storyteller, and as a technical minded man. He has excellent tracking shot, but also keeps the story moving, making you feel for the characters, showing how bleak the world is. He takes the gritty, kitchen sink approach that British film and television is good at. He is following the directional approach of men like Ken Loach. My complain of the story thought is that I think the element about the defence contractors felt a bit forced. Trying to adds some anti-capitalism, anti-Americanism to the story which wasn't needed.
There are excellent actor in this film. John Simm excellence, showing a different role and character then the one he played in State of Play. His character is passionate, but more understated. He is a man trying to do the right thing. Anamaria Marinca and Maria Popistasu are both very talented actresses from Romania and both have the toughest roles playing the trapped women. It is tough for any woman to play that sort of role and do it that well. Anamaria Marinca won a deserved BATFA for her effort. They show the close bound between the sisters even in their circumstances. The American/Canadian also offer fine performance.
A must watch programme.
Set in the winter of 2004, Sex Traffic has three main strands to it's plot. First is about private American peacekeeping officers in Bosnia who buy and sell Eastern Europe who use them as prostitutes and sell them on to gangsters who traffic them further into Europe. They is the big defence contractor who wants to cover up the activities of their officers because they do not want the bad press but also donating to an anti-trafficking charity. Another focus is Daniel Appleton (John Simm), a charity worker for a trafficking organisation who monitor the trafficking routes into Western Europe. He starts to investigate what is happening in Bosnia, realising that they is more then just gangsters involved. He starts a very public battle risking his reputation and his life reporting this. Finally is the most personal story about 2 young sisters, Elena (Anamaria Marinca) and Vera (Maria Popistasu), from rural Moldova. They are convicted by Vera's boyfriend that he can get them work in London. But they sound question what is really happening, discovered that they have been sold and forced to become prostitutes and are stuck in a world of violence and rape.
This a excellent programme, with a three way interlinking plot much like the brilliant Steven Soderbergh film Traffic and the film Syriana. The obvious focus is on the brutal world of sex trafficking and how outside forces that are involved. This takes a realistic view on sex trafficking compared to the not so good film Taken. Abi Morgan writes a very good script, especially involving the story about Elena and Vera. She adds a lot of moral ambiguity, even with punters; it is not a completely black and white world. Many of the characters have faults and conscience. Morgan also show that even when women are freed that their are still targets for traffickers. David Yates shows also shows his skill as a director; both as a storyteller, and as a technical minded man. He has excellent tracking shot, but also keeps the story moving, making you feel for the characters, showing how bleak the world is. He takes the gritty, kitchen sink approach that British film and television is good at. He is following the directional approach of men like Ken Loach. My complain of the story thought is that I think the element about the defence contractors felt a bit forced. Trying to adds some anti-capitalism, anti-Americanism to the story which wasn't needed.
There are excellent actor in this film. John Simm excellence, showing a different role and character then the one he played in State of Play. His character is passionate, but more understated. He is a man trying to do the right thing. Anamaria Marinca and Maria Popistasu are both very talented actresses from Romania and both have the toughest roles playing the trapped women. It is tough for any woman to play that sort of role and do it that well. Anamaria Marinca won a deserved BATFA for her effort. They show the close bound between the sisters even in their circumstances. The American/Canadian also offer fine performance.
A must watch programme.