Lukas Moodysson’s “Lilya 4-ever” chronicles the life of a sixteen year old girl after she gets abandoned by her mother who flees to America to escape poverty in Sweden. The viewer is quickly plunged into a downward spiral of human trafficking, Scandinavian sex slavery and betrayal. Based on the true story of a Lithuanian girl, “Lilya 4-ever” is one of the saddest films ever made and a powerful reminder of what life can do to people who aren’t as lucky as you. The film left me completely devastated and Oksana Akinshina’s performance is absolutely heartbreaking. It hurts me to know that there are children who go through this all over the world.
After this film was released and heavily promoted by the campaigning groups UNICEF and End Child Prostitution, the Swedish minister debated the problems of sex trafficking. It was also exported to Russia and Easter Europe as a means to influence policy makers in countries where victims are often sourced. The director’s aim was to make a film that would awaken Europe into following Sweden’s lead in dealing with the exploitation of women. “Lilya 4-ever” was so powerful it helped reshape laws within society. This is as important and urgent as cinema gets.
The Cinephile Fix 