How Butterfly challenges our perception of human trafficking in Canada

Butterfly: Into the Maze of Human Trafficking is a Canadian documentary directed by Viveka Melki that follows the powerful stories of three women who were sexually exploited and are now navigating their unique healing journeys. The film brings awareness to the often-overlooked realities of human trafficking in our country, emphasizing that it rarely begins with abduction or strangers, but rather through manipulation, coercion, and betrayal by people the victims once trusted.

As an anti-trafficking organization based in Western Canada, we were thrilled to see Butterfly make its debut. Our team quickly carved out time to watch the film and reflect together on its impact. We’re always seeking out media that raises awareness about human trafficking with nuance, compassion, and integrity - and Butterfly delivers on all fronts. By centring the voices of survivors and highlighting the emotional and relational complexities that are so often at play in trafficking situations, the film offers a powerful and necessary perspective.

After watching the film and talking about it at length amongst our team, we knew we had to learn more. We reached out to director Viveka Melki and were truly inspired by her passion, thoughtful approach, and unwavering commitment to ethical, survivor-informed storytelling. What followed was an open and meaningful conversation that gave us deeper insight into the making of Butterfly, and the heart behind it.

Content Note: This discussion includes references to sensitive topics such as rape and sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.

What inspired you to create this film? What drew you to the topic of human trafficking?

I grew up in a society where women are property. And I grew up in a world where the word commodity is equated to women.

I was inspired to make the film because I'm against slavery and against a human being a commodity. I'm definitely a feminist and I want to say it's important to me that we know that there are women traffickers and that there are women clients. I think it's the misconceptions about this that are stopping us from moving forward. It's the misconceptions of “it's not my child” and “vulnerabilities are only Indigenous or BIPOC”. No, vulnerabilities are everyone. And I think when I was 16, I would say by the grace of whatever universal being was protecting me; it could have been me. It can be so easily. And I see that every time I go into a school, and I talk about the film, at least two kids put their hands up and say, “I know someone”.

I was drawn to the topic because of a particular story of a young woman who was trafficked. She was a teenager, but she didn't know she was being trafficked. She thought it was a gang rape. And she didn't know she had been sold multiple times. The level of manipulation in human trafficking is stunning to me compared to the other crimes, the long-term effects and how it can break you into multiple pieces that you have to then put back together.

When did filming take place for your film, and what did the production look like?

This is the longest production we've ever had. It started in 2022. Okay. At the beginning. No, in the middle of the pandemic. I don't even know. It went all the way into 2024. It took four years to make a film that should take two! We had multiple cancellations due to COVID.

And safety was a big challenge. You're just, you're dealing with security. The security of your survivors, how will they get to the interview? Are they feeling safe? Are they safe on set? Are there men on set that they're not comfortable with? We never showed the building we’re in, or the town we’re in. We never posted on our social media pages that we were filming. This was go in, keep everyone safe, and get out.

This was the most difficult film we’ve ever made. But it was worth it.

How did you choose the individuals featured in the documentary?

We go through a process, and I think this comes from my roots. When you arrive in a community, you go to the community Elders, or you go to the front-line leaders. And in this case, the front-line are the social workers, lawyers, police officers. Those who have the best interest of the survivors at heart. You speak to them, you sit down with them, and you say, “our intention is to make this film and to cover this topic, do you know anyone who might be interested?” And those people are protecting the survivors, because they know their state of mind, they know their support networks.

Was there a moment during production that particularly moved or surprised you?

Oh my goodness, many. But I would say, and I even find it hard to say, Charlie and her spoken word. I wanted to empower her. We said to her “where do you feel power?” Charlie is a beautiful writer, and she is trying to write a book. Charlie is such a beautiful person, and her spoken word is very powerful.

Mitch and Mama Bear Clan and their work down by the Red River, too. It's as if time stands still. That's what it feels like, it does. The energy and you feel you're in the presence of something really important.

How did you ensure that the voices of survivors were represented ethically and respectfully?

I believe the camera is the perfect audience because it doesn’t talk back. There's this perfect silence and people reveal and share all kinds of things. But there has to be a consent system because they’ve said things in the moment and they’re not going to edit themselves.

If there is to be a relationship of trust, then that trust needs to go into what we call living consent, which is, after we shoot the film, we edit. And it's true, documentary people remake a story. I mean, you share a story in context, then we take that story and we put it in another context. You should be able to sign off on that and say, “I didn't want to talk about my brother that day”, or “that's going to damage my family if I say that”. Whatever it is, you need to be able to have some protection in place.

I think my industry has not prioritized ethical storytelling policy, and it's true it’s really hard to do. It takes constant engagement and being present. We had a whole ethical storytelling policy in place that we created with Larissa Maxwell, who was actually in the film as well, and that policy was shared with the survivors. It was followed all the way to editing, all the way to final approval on the film. It was followed when the film was released, and it's still being followed.

There was an advocate present in all the interviews and the survivor could at any point stop the interview. We never filmed for more than, I mean, we really avoided more than three hours a day. There were all these checks and measures in place. The needs of the survivor were always at the centre. Sometimes that meant filming for only one hour. We're talking about very difficult stories, very difficult storytelling.

We had checked with survivors in pre-interview. Where are you comfortable? Do you want to be outside? Do you want to be with your cat? Can we come into your space?

I think the simple answer is put survivor at centre and say, okay, if you're in the centre, how are we going to protect you? Because already you've had the courage to come forward and even be in this.

There was an honourarium provided every time they spent time with us. There’s this assumption somebody who is a professor or a specialist deserves an honourarium, but somebody who's a survivor who has this life experience does not.

We are not perfect. It's hard. We made mistakes, I'm sure. But we tried. We really tried, because at the end of the day, for me, what really mattered was getting it right.

How do you strike a balance between raising awareness and avoiding sensationalism or retraumatization?

I want to stand up for TELUS. I have never seen a broadcaster that is so sensitive. Honestly, I've no words. I've got to say this because this is a standard for them. They are so careful and so sensitive, and I believe that they have an ethical storytelling policy of their own. So, you as the filmmaker do not have to defend those choices [to not sensationalize]. They understand them already. And that means that you're filming with mutual respect, and they understand that you're still going to make a good film.

What kind of impact do you hope this documentary will have on viewers?

I felt I made it for a certain audience. Like, I didn't make it to go to festivals. And the... What's the word? You said it earlier - sensationalize. Yeah. I didn't do that.

I made this film to give a tool to the front-line to try and understand and help. I made it as a tool in a toolbox. I am not a social worker. I am not a police officer. But here's a tool. Put it in schools. Let it open discussion. We are here for that. Please, let us help you do that. We are getting calls for the film to be used as part of conferences across the country. It's being used to open discussions and discuss these issues.

And it was very important for me to put MMIWG, like the issue there in the film. I mean it's in Trafficked Voices with Jeannie who's trafficked down to the US and disappears. But here it's right there. It's in the Red River. It's right there. You can’t tell me it's not related.

How have audiences responded to the film so far? Have any reactions surprised you?

The audience has responded very well, but I have to say that the audience is shocked. The average audience says, “What? It happens in families?” Yeah. Yes, it does. The family trafficking is definitely the one that's been most shocking, I'd say. That it’s happening to these children after they get home from school.

How has working on this film changed your understanding of human trafficking?

Charlie's the toughest interview I've ever done. It's astonishing to me. I'm angry at how society does not support the post-trafficking exiting of someone. And they are expected to go to school and function. I don't know. To have a full-time job. There's no support for therapy. There's not enough support. Okay. If you're the society that didn't help and looked away in the first place, then we're all responsible. Me too! We're all responsible. If we did that, then we should be helping survivors afterwards. Because that's a person who is trying to put their life back together. And there isn't enough support.

Butterfly brings us face-to-face with the reality of human trafficking in Canada. It’s an important reminder that trafficking often doesn’t fit with stereotypes or look the way we expect. It challenges common assumptions and offers a powerful, nuanced look into the lives of survivors. We’re deeply grateful for projects like Butterfly that raise awareness without sensationalism, and that honour the complexity of this issue with care and integrity.

A heartfelt thank-you to director Viveka Melki for taking time to speak with us, as well as for her care and commitment to creating such a thoughtful and ethically produced film.

Viveka and her team are currently working in research on their next film which will be on forced labour in Canada.

Stream Butterfly: Into the Maze of Human Trafficking now and share the film with your friends and family.