Shot on location in Cambodia, including many scenes in actual brothels in the notorious red light district of Phnom Penh, HOLLY is a captivating, touching and emotional experience. Patrick, an American card shark and dealer of stolen artifacts, has been 'comfortably numb' in Cambodia for years, when he encounters Holly, a 12-year-old Vietnamese girl, in the K11 red light village. The girl has been sold by her impoverished family and smuggled across the border to work as a prostitute.
Direction
Shot in actual K11 brothels—no set design needed.
Acting
Ron Livingston's slow-burn from sleaze to something like heroism.
Director
Guy Moshe
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The filmmakers worked with NGOs to cast actual trafficking survivors in background roles, some of whom had escaped K11 itself.
Chris Penn's final completed performance—he died of heart disease months after filming. His character Freddie represents what Patrick becomes without awakening.
US
