Doing Money is a British television crime drama, written by Gwyneth Hughes and directed by Lynsey Miller, that was first broadcast on BBC Two on 5 November 2018. Focusing on the subject of modern slavery in the sex trade, the film, starring Anca Dumitra and Allen Leech,[1] is based upon the novel Slave by Jason Johnson, published on 3 May 2018.[2]

Doing Money
GenreCrime drama
Based onSlave
by Jason Johnson
Written byGwyneth Hughes
Directed byLynsey Miller
Starring
Country of originIreland
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes1
Production
Executive producers
  • Alex Cooke
  • Lucy Richer
ProducerMike Dormer
CinematographyNeus Ollé
EditorKristina Hetherington
Running time90 minutes
Production companyRenegade Pictures
Original release
Network
Release5 November 2018 (2018-11-05)

Synopsis

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The film documents the story of 'Ana', a Romanian student training to be a nurse who is kidnapped in broad daylight from the streets of London and ordered to work as a prostitute in a number of brothels in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Casting for the film was announced in August 2018.[3] The film was broadcast as part of the BBC's Why Slavery? season, to coincide with International Anti Slavery Day.[4]

Casting

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Anca Dumitra said of her role as Ana; “Ana is a truly remarkable person, someone who has survived endless abuse with courage and determination, a real-life hero. I have been deeply moved by her story and it’s an honour to play her in Doing Money. This is a story that needs to be seen.”[3]

Allen Leech added; “I’m delighted to be part of telling this moving and important true story. Doing Money, Ana’s experience, shines a light on the shocking truth of human trafficking and slavery in Britain. DI Dougie Grant was one of the key officers at the centre of the original investigation. It’s a real privilege to play him.”[3]

Cast

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Reception

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Alison Graham of the Radio Times wrote; "After watching Gwyneth Hughes’s fact-based drama Doing Money, I went home stifled by a cloud of misery that couldn’t be dispersed, even by the repeats of ancient Big Bang Theories I watched long into the evening just to try to flush the horror from my system. I found Doing Money so overwhelming – the true story of Ana, a young Romanian woman working as a cleaner in Britain who was abducted by a trafficking gang from a street in Wood Green London and forced into sex slavery. I was harrowed as she was repeatedly brutalised into submission by a series of men who treated her savagely."[4]

Viewers described the film as "horrific", "disturbing", "harrowing" and "heartbreaking."[5]

References

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  1. ^ White, Peter (31 August 2018). "BBC Orders Modern Slavery Drama 'Doing Money' From 'The Girl's & 'Vanity Fair's Gwyneth Hughes". Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  2. ^ Anna; Johnson, Jason (2018). Slave. ISBN 978-1785038983.
  3. ^ a b c "BBC Two announces the cast for Doing Money, a shocking true story about modern slavery in Britain". BBC Press Office. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  4. ^ a b Graham, Alison (5 November 2018). "Gwyneth Hughes' modern slavery drama Doing Money is almost too tough to watch". Radio Times. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  5. ^ "Viewers left harrowed by BBC2's "brutal" modern slavery drama Doing Money".
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