A desperate group of people undertakes a dangerous journey in order to find a better life. Julian Cheung must run for his life. Athena Chu must escape from a loveless marriage to a gambling loser. They join a large group desperate to escape China, with their ultimate goal being England. The trip is fraught with peril and potential disaster awaits at the turn of every corner, as the group travels from country to country, at the mercy of the exploitative "snakehead," who leads the group but also takes advantage of their cirumstances.The inspiration for the filmmakers came from a news item about the sad ending for a large group of immigrants. The film was shot on location, including several weeks in Russia during a bitterly cold winter.