Documentary: mothers tricked into drug trafficking

Mule follows three women who were imprisoned after smuggling drugs into Hong Kong, separating them from their children for years. Sodhi was lured by a fake job, Suzana trapped by a love scam, and Masi driven by financial desperation. As they face life-changing challenges behind bars, 78-year-old Father John travels the globe to support them and their families and to warn others not to fall into the same trap.

The film highlights the failure of legal systems and societies to protect vulnerable women from drug gangs. But it also offers hope—hope rooted in the resilience, strength, and determination of these women, who serve as powerful inspirations. It also reminds us that there are compassionate individuals like Father John in the world, dedicated to helping others. The film focuses on the human cost of drug trafficking rather than an investigative angle. It is important to us to tell these stories with respect and empathy, and not to sensationalise.

Aims

Hong Kong has one of the highest female incarceration rates in the world, largely driven by drug mules. Of those female drug mules, the majority are single mothers. The film aims to raise awareness about coercive drug smuggling and the life-long impact it can have on those tricked by drug syndicates, as well as their families. Sodhi, Suzanna and Masi's experiences in the Hong Kong prison system are just a few examples of the devastating impact of coercive drug trafficking affecting women worldwide. Every year, thousands, maybe even tens of thousands are arrested. For this reason, we aim to show Mule around the world at community screenings, especially in areas targeted by drug syndicates to break the cycle of vulnerability.

As well as single mothers, young people often fall victim to drug gangs, and once they are in this world it is difficult to get out. We want to reach younger audiences before this happens, so they know the signs. Therefore, our goal is to work with in-school education platforms, who use short films to educate children immersively.

Fundraising goals

To achieve our goal of distributing the documentary globally and raising awareness, we must remain independent. We don’t want the film to be limited to just one audience, in one country, so funding from individuals, as opposed to handing over the rights to one broadcaster, will allow us to achieve our goals.

The funds raised in this campaign are firstly allocated for hiring a professional editor, to kickstart the post-production process. To improve our chances of receiving funding from other grants and organisations, we need a slick trailer that will grab the attention of funders. A rough cut of our footage so far will also help us to see what’s missing and plan for future shoots.

Secondly, the funds raised in this campaign are allocated for our animation, which is an integral part of the film, as we must maintain Masi’s anonymity to keep her safe. Animation will also make the film engaging for younger audiences, so it can be effective as an educational tool.

Lastly, we will allocate a small percentage of these funds to pay our fantastic crew, so they can continue making this film a reality.

Budget

We hope to raise €61,000 in this campaign to pay for an editor for two months (€10,000), to cover our animation costs (€48,000), and to pay our crew (€3,000).

Our total budget to finish the film is currently set to €240,200 so any donations that help us reach this overall goal are very welcome. Please see below for a full budget breakdown.

Here's how our full budget breaks down:

Production costs (this includes crew costs, travel expenses, insurances, translators, equipment cost): €87,600

Post-production costs (this includes the editor’s fee, animation, sound design, colour correction): €127,600

Administrative expenses: €5000

Outreach program/promotion: €5000

Film festivals: €5000

Impact campaign: €10,000

What’s in it for you?

We truly appreciate every donation, no matter the amount, as each contribution makes a difference.

For donations of €200 or more, we will give a special thanks credit on our list of donors at the end of the film.

For donations of €15,000 or more, we will give an Executive Producer credit.

After making your donation, please contact us via GoFundMe with your name and donation amount to confirm if you'd like to be credited. If we do not receive this confirmation, we won't be able to include your name.

Synopsis

We follow three women from different corners of the world coerced into carrying drugs to Hong Kong under various pretexts: Sodhi, an Indian Malaysian single mother of four, who was already balancing two jobs, believed she could earn extra income for her daughters when she was brought to Hong Kong by the offer of a tour guide job. Suzana, a Canadian widow and grandmother, travelled for love, drawn in by a man she met online. Meanwhile, Masi from Kenya, a single mother responsible for her ailing father and younger siblings, made the journey knowingly, driven by financial hardship.

Father John, a 78-year-old Australian prison chaplain in Hong Kong, has encountered hundreds of foreign drug mules in the city’s prisons in the past 30 years. While he helps everyone, he has a particular concern for mothers, understanding the crucial role they play in holding families together. He knows that when children are left behind, they become more vulnerable and could fall into crime. Father John travels the world to gather evidence for their cases and to meet their families. He went to Africa to try to obtain CCTV footage from the hotel where Suzana stayed before continuing her journey to Hong Kong. He also travelled to Malaysia to check on Sodhi’s family and discuss evidence with her brother, and arranged for a wheelchair for Masi’s father in Kenya when he could no longer walk.

Now, the women have either completed their sentences or been acquitted and reflect on their experiences, during which Father John often served as their sole source of hope. Sodhi was reunited with her daughters and has since founded an NGO in Malaysia to support single mothers like herself. Masi, who spent the longest time in prison, has missed much of her son’s childhood, making reconnecting with him a difficult challenge. Meanwhile, Father John continues to help new drug mules that arrive in Hong Kong’s prisons and makes annual trips around the world, warning potential victims of the dangers of drug trafficking.

Central Themes

The Human Cost of Drug Trafficking: Exploring how women, particularly single mothers, are coerced or manipulated into drug trafficking due to financial needs. It also touches on the societal factors that make single mothers more vulnerable to exploitation.

The Impact of Maternal Imprisonment: Highlighting the effects on children growing up separated from their mothers due to incarceration, showing how this disrupts families and perpetuates cycles of poverty and crime.

Injustice and Advocacy: Focusing on Father John’s work as an advocate for justice, particularly his efforts to gather evidence and defend those who have been wrongfully accused.

Hope and Redemption: Through the stories of women who have been helped by Father John, the film explores themes of hope, second chances, and redemption for the drug mules.

Approach and Tone

Mule strives to immerse its audience in the devastating stories of these women, while sending an uplifting and hopeful message about the women, as they rebuild their lives.

Father John is a man with a mission that he takes very seriously, but at the same time, he also often lightens the mood with jokes. The contrast between the characters' journeys adds depth, making the documentary a layered mix of hope, struggle, and resilience.

Characters

Father John: A 78-year-old Australian priest with over 30 years in Hong Kong and China, Father John brings a broad perspective to the drug trafficking crisis. He's a courageous optimist and dedicated to his cause despite the immense challenges. While the battle often feels like David vs. Goliath, Father John remains upbeat, lightening serious moments with jokes and a sense of humour. As he grows older, the question of retirement looms, but he continues to push forward, confident in the lasting impact of his efforts.

Sodhi: Sodhi is an Indian Malaysian mother of four. Unaware that drugs were hidden in her luggage, her story serves as a cautionary tale. Through her experience, she encourages others, especially women, to trust their intuition. Despite the hardship, Sodhi’s inner strength shines through—she fought fiercely to be reunited with her children. Now, back home, she no longer feels the need to prove her innocence. Instead, she chooses to define herself through her role as a mother and her dedication to her work and NGO.

Sodhi’s children: Sodhi’s children show the pain of having a mother in prison and how their family fell apart without her. Their story also explains why Father John works so hard to help mothers. In the end, it’s the children who suffer the most when their mother is gone.

Masi: Masi is a Kenyan single mother. She represents the perspective of a mother pushed into drug smuggling by poverty, leading her to carry drugs in her stomach. Convicted and sentenced to the longest term—9 years—compared to Sodhi’s 2.5 years and Suzana’s 9 months, her story reflects the harsh consequences of her decision. As the only anonymous character, Masi’s hidden identity shows the lingering dangers of the world she can’t fully escape. Despite her time in prison, the recruiters who know her continue pressuring her to smuggle again.

Suzana: Suzana is a Canadian widow, mother, and grandmother. Her story highlights a different tactic used by recruiters: the manipulation of love. It also supports Father John’s character as we follow the entire process of gathering evidence, pressuring authorities through media coverage, and ultimately securing her release. Unlike Suzana, the other two characters, Sodhi and Masi, were already released when filming began.

Thank you

For each of our supporters, we want to say a huge thank you. We are incredibly grateful for your support and excited to have you join us on this journey. Your contribution will play a vital role in making this documentary a reality and reaching the right audiences.

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Website www.drugmulestories.org