Nefarious: Merchant of Souls is a 2011 American documentary film about modern human trafficking, specifically sexual slavery. [31] Another screening was held at United Nations headquarters in New York City in March 2012 during that year's session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. She eventually became addicted to heroin. Synopsis [18] The leader of an organization working to rescue girls from prostitution in Cambodia[18] says that it is not the poorest parents who sell their children into sexual slavery but rather the parents who are looking to buy luxury goods. [21], The film includes an interview with a man referring to himself as "Vlad", who formerly trafficked in humans and drugs in Europe for eleven years. [22] Preston praised Nolot's writing and directing. [18] When asked by Nolot if these activities are financed by organized crime, Slim hesitates, then says no. [2] Dan Preston of Godculture Magazine praised Nolot's writing and directing. [18], Nefarious was written,[22] directed, produced, and narrated by Benjamin Nolot,[18] founder and president of Exodus Cry. You’ll see where slaves are sold (often in developed, affluent countries), where they work, and where they are confined. He initially says that the display window women are not in any danger while with a client in the back room, but later clarifies that the girls should "keep a hand close to the panic button" located on the wall. She is confined with other girls[8] in a dark room, lit by a flickering lightbulb. Nolot appeared at a screening in Appleton, Wisconsin, and afterwards led a question and answer session with a local police officer. He therefore argues that sex trafficking is a spiritual and moral issue that cannot be solved by education or money. [4] Many of the girls are orphans, and all are either kidnapped or tricked into forced prostitution. [8] Nolot said that the purpose of the film is "to draw people's attention to the issue, but also to inspire them in terms of what they can be doing … to take a stand against this injustice. I also love that you hear stories of so many broken people and then get to see later on that they were radically saved and rescued out of the industry! When you see a woman being dragged to the 'breaking grounds', you will feel her despair. [7] The film asserts that 10% of the population of Moldova has been sexually trafficked. Share. Identifying these events as taking place near Belgrade, Serbia, the film then tracks the fictional girls through Croatia to Amsterdam's red-light district De Wallen, and to sex markets in Berlin and Las Vegas. […] Only then will our hearts be moved to a love that is infinite, universal, and knows no satiety.” (4.1.2) – Dostoevsky, “Brothers Karamazov”. You will follow beside her as she is beaten, stripped naked, then sold to the highest bidder. Nevada prostitutes describe having gone into prostitution in Las Vegas after watching the film Pretty Woman. Buy Movies. During this time, Nolot promoted the Red Light Campaign, wherein drivers waiting at red lights pray for sex trafficking to end. NEFARIOUS: MERCHANT OF SOULS "The Exponential Increase of Sexual Slavery and Trafficking" Quality: Content:-1 Discretion advised for older children. The film ends with the assertion that only Jesus can free people from sexual slavery. The movie begins by pointing out that slavery has not been banished from the world, but is on the increase. Some of them cry while telling their stories. Victims are often thrown into such ghastly oppression at 13 years old. Nefarious, Merchant of Souls, is a hard-hitting documentary that exposes the disturbing trends in modern sex slavery. | [17] Other victims of trafficking speak about having been the objects of physical abuse and attempted murder. [8], Nefarious asserts that there is a link between the international sex industry and legal prostitution in the Western world,[9] and that those who create the demand for forced prostitution around the world are of a wide variety of ages and are often considered respectable. This sober look into modern-day slavery is designed to explore this horrific issue and uncovers the shocking truth that people are being sold in sex markets in some of the world's most 'developed' countries. You will follow beside her as she is beaten, stripped naked, then sold to the highest bidder. But, stay put because you will be glad you did. Nefarious was written, directed, produced and narrated by Benjamin Nolot, founder and president of Exodus Cry, the film's distributor. "[8] He further said that he did not make the film for money or for fame but did so to rouse people to action against human trafficking, an issue that he feels to be of great importance. Even worse, the vast majority of slavery is sexual slavery. Presented from a Christian worldview, Nefarious covers human trafficking in the United States, Western and Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia, alternating interviews with re-enactments. But, just so you know, not all of them choose to go through that open door. Nefarious I: Merchant of Souls. “Modern slavery.” It sounds like a paradox. Get Movies. [2] Erica Yunghans of Star News Daily called the film "controversial". So we had thought. "[17] Kevin Bales of Free the Slaves is quoted as saying that there are 27 million slaves in the world. [8] The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) hosted two screenings of the film in 2012,[9] one of which took place before the Parliament of Tasmania. Rack up 500 points and you'll score a $5 reward for more movies. documentary. [26] As of January 2012, Nolot was producing two sequels to Nefarious. [54], "Merchant of Souls" redirects here. [18] Texas State representative Todd Ames Hunter attended a screening at the Summit Church in Corpus Christi, saying that human trafficking "is a critical issue to the state of Texas that needs education and attention. When you see a woman being dragged to the 'breaking grounds', you will feel her despair. These include that human trafficking is growing faster than any other criminal industry,[11] that the average age of those forced into prostitution in the U.S. is 13,[12] that the commercial sexual exploitation of children victimizes almost two million children globally,[13] that 80% of trafficked women and 50% of trafficked children are sexually exploited,[14] that 161 UN member states engage in human trafficking,[15] and that modern slavery has an annual revenue of US$32,000,000,000[16]—according to the film, higher than the annual revenues of Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League and the National Hockey League combined. movie theaters are playing Nefarious: Merchant of Souls near you. by our selfish hedonism We know life happens, so if something comes up, you can return or exchange your tickets up until the posted showtime. [8], A 55-year-old woman from England tells the story of how she was first prostituted in Boscombe, near Bournemouth in Dorset, after being raped as a child in the council houses where she grew up. [8] These filming locations included countries in the Middle East, Europe, North America, and Asia. With Christian Simpson, Jon Morgan Woodward, Chad T. Wood, Sarah Agor. She describes how she and other human trafficking victims in Eastern Europe were held in buildings with security cameras, where they were forced to walk naked down a runway before a group of men who watched under the guise of attending a fashion show. Didn’t social reformers like Lincoln and Wilberforce legislate against such cruelty over a hundred years ago? [24], Filming of Nefarious was started in 2007,[8] marking Nolot's film debut. You'll hear first-hand interviews with real victims and traffickers, along with expert analysis from international humanitarian leaders. Not for young eyes, but the information is important. [18] The initial plan was to create a short film, but the project was expanded when Exodus Cry realized the scope of the issue they were documenting. “But when he knows that he is not only worse than all those in the world, but is also guilty before all people, on behalf of all and for all, for all human sins, the world’s and each person’s, only then will the goal of our unity be achieved. From the very first scene, Nefarious ushers you into the nightmare of sex slavery that hundreds of thousands experience daily. Not Rated "[20], † Seahorse Awards are given to male writers, composers, and filmmakers. From the very first scene, Nefarious ushers you into the nightmare of sex trafficking. Taglines From the very first scene, Nefarious ushers you into the nightmare of sex slavery that hundreds of thousands experience daily. [8], Another interview features an Amsterdam pimp, "Slim",[8] who owns a business allowing passers-by to view scantily clad girls in a display window; they can have sex with them on a mattress in a back room. It is not to be confused with, Official release and grassroots screenings, Home video release and subsequent screenings, commercial sexual exploitation of children, human trafficking victims in Eastern Europe, organization that opposes human trafficking, 2007 international child pornography investigation, United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, Atlanta International Documentary Film Festival, Motion Picture Association of America film rating, Transforming Stories International Christian Film Festival, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Transnational efforts to prevent human trafficking, United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking, Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, "Raising awareness of Sydney sex trafficking", "Pastoral Views – See human trafficking documentary Sept. 25", "Christian Lobby: ACT government feeding demand for trafficked women", United States Department of Health and Human Services, "San Diego Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking of Children: Trafficking Cases Up Significantly", United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, "Poverty denies children safety, dignity and protection", "Inter-Agency Training for Focal Points on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by UN Personnel and Partners", "Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns", "Remarks to the High-level Meeting on the Appraisal of the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons", "Vision of Jesus helped transform me, says former Boscombe prostitute", "Lifting the veil on the global sex industry", "Justice Alliance to host screening of 'Nefarious, "DocuFest Atlanta: September 20 – 23, 2012", "Award-winning film exposes hidden truths of sex slave trade", "Presentation of a Documentary – "Nefarious: Merchant of Souls, "Transforming Stories International Christian Film Festival (TSICFF)", "Accolade Competition Deadline: November 18, 2011", "2012 Canada International Film Festival Award Winners", "Urban Mediamakers Film Festival Awards 2012", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nefarious:_Merchant_of_Souls&oldid=958413875, Documentary films about violence against women, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Telly Awards Non-Broadcast Productions for Social Issues Silver Award, Kingdomwood Christian Film Festival Best Documentary Feature, Kingdomwood Christian Film Festival Best Director, Kingdomwood Christian Film Festival Best Original Music, Matthew Dickey, Matt Egan, Steve Willis, and Michael Lienau, Kingdomwood Christian Film Festival Best Cinematography, Urban Mediamakers Film Festival Best Documentary Feature Award, This page was last edited on 23 May 2020, at 17:30. [18] The film opens with a re-enactment of a girl being kidnapped by organized criminals. [18] Lobert calls prostitution "the greatest acting job", explaining that prostitutes have to constantly feign enjoyment while actually feeling none. Sign up for a FANALERT® and be the first to know when tickets and other exclusives are available in your area. He claims that traffickers consider themselves most successful when the exploited girls start responding immediately to shouted, one-word commands. Nefarious, Merchant of Souls, is a hard-hitting documentary that exposes the disturbing trends in modern sex slavery.