The Essex lorry with 39 Vietnamese deceased migrants

Inspiration

In 2019, 39 Vietnamese people were found dead in the refrigerated container of a truck en route from France to England. They died during the last leg of their smuggling journey. This tragic event is known as the Essex tragedy. It revealed a widespread industry of Vietnamese migrants (many are minors) smuggled into Britain. In Vietnam, they are led to believe that England is the 'promised land' where they can earn a lot of money.

'The Grass Route' is the name of the widely used overland smuggling route from Russia through eastern and western Europe to England. To pay for the expensive smuggling journey, migrants are forced by smugglers to work in factories, construction, prostitution, nail salons or cannabis cultivation. The last stopover before they reach Britain is somewhere in Western Europe, mainly Germany, Belgium, France or the Netherlands. It can take months and sometimes even years before they actually reach England, and even there they often end up back in forced labour and remain entirely dependent on their smugglers.

The Grass Route tells the fictional story of one Vietnamese teenager. It is based on a harsh reality but the film will explore the power of imagination to show a deeper truth. The Grass Route shows the resilience of the human spirit in dire circumstances. How you can still find freedom while imprisoned; not from a western point of view but from an Asian perspective.