The Dark Side of Chocolate (2010)

Wonderful character development!

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The Dark Side of Chocolate coco has been one of the most transport source of business for many years. Most common countries who are know for transporting coco are Ghana, and Ivory coast. However, the problem with this is, people make business out of coco by using young children to help in coco farms. This act has been going on for over 35 years now. This is how it works, in Ivory Coast, the head of coco business hires people to manipulate children by offering them candy, and promise to provide a better life for them. The bus then moves from village to village taking young children age 13 above and transport them in coco farms where they are most likely will spend the rest of their life. Ivory Coast is well know for producing coco. A french journalist travelled to Ivory Coast to investigate the issue on coco business and children slavery in coco farms. As investigating the issue, he became well known in Ivory Coast and later on was killed in the parking lot for researching the source of this issue. Most journalist who investigate this issue either has been killed or kidnapped. An American Journalist named Mike Mistrati wanted to know the about this issue. In order to do this, Mike started first by asking coco company about the children slavery in coco farms, but the result was not as he expected, no one seem to know. He knew he would not achieve from asking around, he decided to travel to Ivory Coast and go undercover using hide camera to get evidence because the authority deny using children traffic.Mike used one of his Ivory Coast local friend named Usha since he knew about children trafficking this was a good source to start from. In 2008 Usha rescue about 138 children from Mali, and Burkina Faso. through the investigation hidden camera was using because non of the local people wanted to step forward concerning this issue. Mike and Usha finally investigate around the villages and even saw the bus in which transport children south in coco farms. This issue has been going on for many years and not much action has been taken in order to stop this. Children trafficking affect both the parents and children educations. Some children are slaves in coco farm for the rest of their life without any education, money suffer from illness hunger etc. This issue should be addressed properly and we should do something to prevent this from continuing. moreover. If this issue has to taken seriously, it should start from Ivory Coast government and limiting coco business.

This documentary is very important and obviously done by brave people. People who care enough to tackle this extremely heartbreaking issue; the trafficking of children in the African cocoa industry.It is heartbreaking and beyond belief to realize that the value of a human life, a child's life to be exact in this case, is considered so low that it can be bought and sold for a few euros to fulfill the wants and longings of the western world for cheap chocolate, garments, sex etc... This film is about the chocolate industry but every westerner should know that trafficking of children is a fact in many other businesses as well. How come that we who live in the west don't rise up to this travesty? Why are we constantly closing our eyes in complacency to this bitter ugliness in human nature? I am so sad after watching this excellent film that my heart hurts...Please watch this film, if you get the chance, and recommend it to your friends and family!!!