-
Trade of lnnocents {(...we hnpe ii-rat Trade nf lnnnlents wiLL Leave a lasiirrg rnark an
lhose wha sce rt, and that ii lvrLl come to be the defining fiLrn nn the horribLe reaLity af Lhe iraffickinE af pers0ns, particulariy the sexuaL nxpLnitatirn nf rhil"ilre n worLdwrde fnr 0rofit." Jim Schmidt, Producer
WRITER + DIRECTOR
PRODUCER
Christopher Bessette
Jrm Schmrdt
There are seminal moments in each of our lives that we can point to and say, "This changes everJthing."
We believe that film can inform, even educate,
I
stood alone in the community center's freshly painted, sterilized room, in a building in Cambodia that was once known as a brothel. This room was called the "pink room" or the "virgin room," where children were held to be sold to pedophiles. I looked through the bars ofthe second storywindow to the dirt street below and saw children laughing and playing. I imagined a little girl looking through the same window, wishing she could be out there. I distinctly remember the whispered words slipping out of my mouth, "Oh God, I have to do something; help me tell her story." Based on facts,Trade oflnnocents takes the dramatic thriller and steps it up a notch bygiving the audience an opportunity to experience real life events they could never imagine. My hope is that as the audience roots for our heroes, the realization comes to them, "Now that I
know- this
changes everJthing."
PHOTOS: COURTESY MONTEREY 14EDlA INC
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as it entertains.'W'hat's more, we believe film can impact culrure in lastingways. On an early location scout for Trade of Innocents, Christopher Bessette and I were in Cambodia, visiting the temple of Ta Prohm, one of the temples of Angkor $7at, which figtres into our story. Ta Prohm was made iconic in a scene from Lara Crort: Tomb Raider in zoor, where AngelinaJolie struck a memorable, backlit pose near a to'wering dam kor tree.
As I stood near the base of that tree in March zoro, I heard a tour guide say, "'W'e refer to this as the Angelina Tree." My first thought was, Nolru let me get tbis straigbt: A 9oo-year-old ternple, utitb a zoo-yearold tree, tbe roots of wbicb are literally srttallouing ttp tbe walls of that temple, and we name tbe tree after a modern-day moaie star. If tbat\ not film impaaingcuhure, I donl hnow uhat is.
In the same way, we hope that Trade of Innocents wlllleaye a lasting mark on those who see it, and that it will come to be the defining film on the horrible realiry of the trafficking of persons, particularly the profi t-driven sexual exploitation of children worldwide.
Dermot Mu roney Shooting T'rdde
read the screenplay ol Trade of Innocents, I knew no more about this global problem than the average news consumer. The actual numbers on human trafficking overwhelmed me at first, and I was quickly impressed by how much information there is on human trafficking-especially on the Internet-and how many individuals and organizations are fighting this cruel form of exploitation every day. I closed the computer, finished the script, and took the part in the movie.
At the time I first
ACTOR
o-f
Innocen s stands apart for me, not just because the
film is a harrowing and horrifuingly true toJife depiction of the child sex trade in Asia and the peoplc on the front lines ofthe fight to bring human trafficking to an end-sometimes one child at a timebut because making it was such a unique experience.'Working in intense heat, in sometimes grueling locations in and around Bangkok, Thaiiand was indeed exotic, but it was the people who worked on the film who made this production a truly memorable experience for me. To have been part of making a movie about an issue affecting millions of people worldwide and to be able to carry this message by way of an elfective narrative is a trulv unusual experience and for me, a true privilegc.
The director and u,riter of Trade o-f Innorezfs, Christopher Bissette, based some of the scenes in TOi on episodes he witnessed. Scenes such as the pedophile sex tourist leaving the lounge with the young girl led IChristopher] to research, become passionate about, and ultimatelv, write this screenplav. His dedication to ending human traificking breathes throughout this film. The star, -\lira Son,ino, has long given her time, boundless energy, and heart to manv causes, including fighting human trafficking, through her L \ODC Goodwill Ambassadorship and her involvement in Ar.nnesn International.
I will never forget the first day of filmingTrade of Innocents.The flrst sequence we shot was the scene where I'm riding on the boat to get to the hovel to locate and document the first young girl. Riding in that long, flat boat onlywith the Thai-speaking actor on an open river outside Bangkok was a world away from my r,?ical tife. The uniqueness of that experience instantly thrust me into the exact circumstances of the character and into a world where children are exploited, millions of dollars are made, and whole governments look away from injustices unimaginable. It is our world. Trade of Innocen s is that rare film that manages to be as gripping as a thriller, deeply compelling, heartbreaking, and true at the same time that it sheds light on this important issue that is rarely depicted in films. The persistence of the problem of human trafficking [proves] that it will take all the efforts of committed world citizens to eventually end human trafficking and slavery in all forms.
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Producer
Bill Bolthouse No matter where you are in the world today, whether Phnom Penh, Seoul, San Francisco, Frankfurt, or {any major ciry in the worldJ, you are within a mile or two of a girl who is being held against her will and is about to be sold for sex.'We had two goals inmakitgTrade of Innocents: One was to make people aware that this evil exists but
that there are good people fighting against it. And rwo, to create a way for our viewers to have a tangible way to get involved for good. Our tagline is 'Justice Needs a Hero."'We created www.justicegeneration.com, where everyday people who are horrified by this reality can go and do something tangible to make a difference in one child's life.
In a sense, we are handing our viewers a key. If they put that key in their pocket and walk away, they become a jailer to that victim lwho isJ locked away and alone. But if they take that key and use it for good, they have become her liberator, her hero. Let this movie touch your heart and do its work so that r /e can have more heroes in this world and make it a better place for all. 'We
released our movie the same weekend as Tahen z, which took in $5o million at the box office in its first three days. The difference is that our movie starts with the words "Inspired by real events," whereas theTahen movies are pure shoot'emup fiction.'WithTrade of Innocents, people will be able to see what real-life heroes battle in the fight against slavery. \7e also will recruit the viewer to join us in
the fight for freedom.
/ ACADEIlY Mira Sorvino
ACTRESS
AWARD W NNER
I am very proud to be a part of this film [bothJ as an actress and as a UNODC Goodwill Ambassador to combat human trafficking. Most people are unaware that this terrible trade ofchildren for sexrral exploitation flourishes both in the U.S. and around the globe. Trade of Innocents wlll open their eyes and their hearts and inspire them to become part of the solution.
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