Harrowing. Horrifying. Yet completely gripping; this is not for the faint of heart. It’s a hard-hitting exploration of human trafficking, representing a group of flawed, damaged characters trapped in a life of prostitution in the seedy underbelly of Belfast. A young Ukrainian girl is tricked, sold into this joyless world of suburban slavery. It is her transformation that is most heartbreaking: seeing her optimism and enthusiasm change in moments to confusion and horror until, ultimately, she is completely broken by these awful experiences. It’s stomach-turning in its scenes of violence and rape, not sensationalised, but presented brutally, authentically. Dramatically, the lack of resolution felt a little disappointing, but given the very real problem they’re examining, that’s only appropriate.

C aquila, until 13 Aug, 3.40pm.
tw rating 4/5 [Andrew Leask]