The Price of Sex

Human trafficking is the general subject of Mimi Chakarova's documentary, but her specific concern is how women from Eastern Europe—particularly her native Bulgaria—are lured into accepting employment offers outside their native lands with empty promises of a better life, only to find themselves quickly forced into prostitution. Chakarova, who also narrates, has been researching this issue for years, and her dedication and courage show as she makes contacts both with the victims and with those who recruit women to meet the desires of customers in countries such as Turkey and Dubai. At one point she even puts herself at risk by posing as a prostitute in Istanbul in order to secure evidence, and while she was in Dubai, her hotel room was ransacked and her cameras stolen (a situation made worse by the fact that local authorities are often in league with the traffickers). On the technical side, The Price of Sex is somewhat scattershot, understandably features a good deal of grainy and murky footage, and suffers somewhat from Chakarova's bland delivery of the narration, but the film offers uniquely personal insight into a major criminal enterprise that destroys the lives of countless young women, and for that it is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)