Holly

American con artist Patrick (Ron Livingston), a card player who rushes from one scam to the next in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, is hired by cynical Bangkok-based crime boss Freddie (Chris Penn) to smuggle stolen artifacts across the border. No sooner has he begun the job than Patrick's motorcycle breaks down in the notorious red-light district K11. Stranded there overnight, he is enlightened about the nature of the place by the unbridled lawyer Claus (Udo Kier), who sums up basic human urges by explaining that he has “never felt so close to heaven” as in the company of the brothel's women. Patrick's revulsion turns to idealism when he befriends 12-year-old Holly, who has been sold into prostitution by her Vietnamese family and is highly prized for her intact virginity. Beneath her traumatized exterior, he discovers a smart, headstrong girl and decides to save her—even though their strictly platonic relationship is misunderstood by almost everyone they encounter. Co-producer and co-writer Guy Jacobson is a New York lawyer who founded the K11 Project charity after a trip to Phnom Penh in 2002, where he was approached by young girls. The film was the first of three announced films (followed by the documentaries “The Virgin Harvest” about child trafficking and “The K11 Journey”) documenting the filmmakers' experiences and adventures.