Posted by Rachel on: 07.13.2007 /
For our movie group this month, my friends and I watched A Thousand Pieces of Gold, the true story of a young Chinese woman named Lalu. The film begins in 1880s China where Lalu and her family struggle to survive in the face of famine and marauding soldiers. In desperation, Lalu’s father sells her to become a bride in America.
When Lalu arrives in the Idaho mining town which will become her home, she is horrified to discover that she has been sold into prostitution. With the help of a few unlikely allies, Lalu fights back and manages to create for herself a life of dignity, independence, and ultimately, of refuge and love.
In discussing the movie afterwards, we all appreciated the authenticity of Lalu’s character. We found ourselves both inspired by her courage and determination, and occasionally mystified and frustrated by her decisions. Lalu demonstrates an almost exasperating ability to forgive and a powerful will to triumph over prejudice.
This film was particularly striking to me after having read the book Not for Sale by David Batstone. (I posted a review of the book a few months ago.) After interviewing hundreds of sex trafficking victims, Batstone observed a highly consistent pattern of exploitation. As I watched the movie, I noted how closely Lalu’s own story followed the pattern Batstone had outlined.
It seems that little has changed in the last 120 years. In our world today, nearly 1 million people each year are extracted from their homes and trafficked across international borders. Of those individuals, 80% are female and 50% are children. But there are hopeful signs of change. To learn more about the modern day abolition movement or to get involved, check out the Not for Sale Campaign.
Comment by: Staci
1Just a note that this movie is based on a true story. So it makes sense that it follows the pattern in Batstone’s book. (Though sad that there is little change from 1880 to now.)
In addition to the informative topic, it was quite an entertaining movie. And it gave us a chance to eat some yummy Chinese food!