Matrioshki - le trafic de la honte

Following the huge success of the first series, mostly in its native country Belgium but on the international export market as well, a second series of "Matroesjkas" was inevitable. Most of the story lines were even readily written when the first series still aired on TV, for that matter. But still, the last thing anyone can claim is that this second series is simply a continuation and cash-in on the popularity of the original. The second – and undoubtedly final – series has a much more internationally orientated character, more convoluted plot outlines, the atmosphere is even more disturbing and there's a lot more violence (especially when approaching the finale). Several characters of the first series return, but there are also numerous new ones that get introduced; often even viler and more malignant than the original crime syndicate members. If you haven't seen the first series, it isn't of much use to watch part two. Even if you don't necessarily require the main characters' backgrounds and previous crimes, there still are loads of references towards stuff that happened in the first season.

The story picks up again three years later, with the earlier than expected release from prison of Ray Van Mechelen and Eddy Stoefs, two of the gang's most prominent members. They meet up to search for their former pal Jan Verplancke, who stole all their money and disappeared towards Thailand to open a sex club. They also intend to boost new life and energy into their former activities, but the Belgian sex industry has changed severely during their three years of absence. There are new and relentless players on the market (Belgian as well as Russian mob organizations), docile and "cheap" girls can only still be found in poor Eastern European countries and the relationships between the former partners have watered down into sheer hostility and complete distrust. The Antwerp police continuously try to disable the organization but perhaps they don't even have to, as they are likely to kill off each other first. The carefully researched and elaborated scenarios, courtesy of Guy Goossens and Mark Punt, still pay and extended deal of attention to character development and human emotions. It's a remarkable and highly praiseworthy accomplishment – especially for a Belgian production – how the numerous and often extremely versatile story lines and sub plots merge together throughout all ten episodes. Whether it concerns the hopeless situation of the girls or the downwards spiral into utter madness of the villains, everything is near perfect to the greatest detail. Even more the case than in series one, part two of "Matroesjkas" isn't always suitable for viewers with a sensitive nerve system or easily upset stomachs. There's a lot of misogynic violence, brutal executions, rape, extortion, excessively foul language, mental agony and revenge. But, as I stated in my review of the first series already, what else do you expect from an allegory focusing on the sex industry! If you want it to come across as realistic and plausible, extreme violence and exploitative sleaze are fundamental.

I normally don't comment on TV-series but I'm gladly making an exception for our highly prestigious Belgian series "Matroesjka's". This unquestionably is the greatest, most ambitious project ever in this country and I dare to say that it could easily compete with world-class series such as "The Sopranos" or "Alias". A common mistake Belgian writers usually make is that they try very hard to make their premise look Hollywoodian, yet "Matroesjka's" isn't like that. On the contrary, the sex industry is a typical Belgian issue and our country often serves as the turn-table for this kind of crimes. And this series is an intelligent and detailed portrait of it all: raw, often shocking and thought-provoking. "Matroesjka's" centers on a criminal organisation that yearly travels to the poorest ex-Russian countries in order to recruit young girls as dancers for their Antwerp nightclub. The girls are promised big money and a more bright future, but in reality they'll serve for erotic dance-acts and even prostitution. Tired of their pitiable life conditions, ten attractive young girls sign a false contract that literally makes them the property of Ray van Mechelen and his relentless gang of small thugs, deranged psychos and violent aggressors. The rest of the carefully constructed screenplay focuses on the gangsters' interactions with each other (blackmail, betrayal, executions…) as well as with corrupt police detectives and the attempts of a sole journalist trying to publicly unmask the crime network.

"Matroesjka's" exist out of 10 episodes, which comes down to approximately 500 minutes of footage. Yet, there is not one dull moment and every episode becomes more fascinating. The series obviously disposed of a large budget but every cent is well-used! The detailed preceding research to the plotting is flawless while the set pieces and costumes and highly efficient. Most of the chapters are entirely filmed in Belgium, but the actual recruitment of the girls takes place in pauperized Russian wastelands and one episode is filmed in Cyprus where the girls received their "training". The makers put a lot of effort in making their series appear real! The unfortunate girls are actual Russian actresses that only speak English when necessary and with heavy accents. Even the Belgian actors are allowed to speak in their ugly Antwerp dialects and that only increases the naturalness and credibility of the series. Can you imagine dangerous thugs talking correct and without swearing?? Talking about the cast: every Flemish actor that ever meant something in the world of theater or cinema is involved in this project. It's an all-star cast, world famous…in Belgium. Most of them play the roles of their lives, more particularly Peter van den Begin as the head of the organization and Tom Van Dyck as the deranged, trigger happy lunatic.

"Matroesjka's" contains several sequences that are stuffed with exploitative violence and gratuitous nudity…But what else do you expect from an allegory focusing on mafia crimes like this! It's a tough world and if you have the ambition of telling a story about it: you better make it realistic. Luckily, the whole production was realized without having to worry about censorship or ratings which are very important in a shock-portrait like this. Our country doesn't mean that much in the field of television or cinema but "Matroesjka's" undeniably is a brilliant piece of instant cult-entertainment. The news got out that the series already has been sold to several other European countries and TV-stations so, in case you soon encounter it dubbed in French, German, Spanish, English or whatever; please remember where it originally came from.

Quality always shows, no matter where it comes from. Belgium may not be very well known for its movies or series, but from time to time some director really knows what to do to make our little country proud. I've seen several Belgian movies and most of the time I wasn't very pleased with them ("De Zaak Alzheimer" and "Hombres Complicados" are exceptions to that rule). Almost all lacked professionalism and tried too hard to look like Hollywood productions. That's not the case with "Matroesjka's". This series never even tries to look like it comes from Hollywood. It wants to look Belgian and it succeeds perfectly.

In this series we follow some young Russian and Lituanian girls who are recruited by some Belgians with the promise that they will earn a lot of money as dancers (not as strippers) and that they will be able to build a better future for themselves and their families. But from the beginning on the problems start: their contracts are in Greek, they are first sent to a nightclub on Cyprus and they soon realize that their situation won't get any better. But what they don't even know yet is that they will not only have to strip. They will also have to work as prostitutes and they will never be free for as long as they work in the nightclubs...

This series deals with something that we aren't very proud of, but that really is a part of our country: white slavery (the buying of women in Eastern Europe and using them in the sex industry). It's a well-known fact that Belgium, and Antwerp in particular, is a major player in this scene. But this series also shows that it isn't always the big crime syndicates who deal in women. Often the people who do such things are people from the middle classes. Another thing that is made very clear by this series is the corruption in the police department. Too often there has been proof of police officers who worked together with those networks instead of trying to catch them...

It's very clear that the writers of this program were able to do everything they wanted. Normally they try too hard to make it all very spectacular and original, because that's exactly what the TV stations demand from them. In the average soap you'll see one plane crash after the next horrible murder, making it all very laughable, but far from realistic. Not this time. Of course there is some violence in this series, but it all contributes to the realism of the story, making "Matroesjka's" a series that we can all be very proud of. No wonder that it has been sold to so many other countries already. I hope it will be a huge success abroad as well. The makers sure deserve it. In the mean time we already got to know that, thanks to the huge success of the series, there will be a second part. Now let's hope that they keep up the good work and don't mess it up. Anyway, I give the first part an 8/10. It sure deserves it.

I'm currently watching this series of SBS TV in Australia. We're currently in between episodes 7 & 8.

I really cannot speak highly enough of this series. I'd give a run through of the general plot but that has already been well and truly canvassed by previous posters.

This series is streets ahead of US and most Australian dramas in the same vein. When I watch a US drama like this I find it they often come across as fake and over the top. Matroesjka's, or Russian Dolls as it is translated into English manages to maintain a high level of excitement and keep the viewers interest whilst keeping entirely realistic and believable, offering an honest portrayal of the plight of Eastern European sex slaves.

I really hope that this series is put to DVD, with English subtitles. In Australia we are lucky to have a brilliant team of subtitlers at SBS TV, it'd be nice if SBS acquired the rights to produce a DVD, wishful thinking no doubt.

If this is the standard of Belgian TV, then I'd better book myself a plane ticket.

I agree that it is a good and very realistic film. It should be shown on TV in all Eastern European countries, so that the girls who might be tempted to go to the West, would know what to expect. However, I would like to ask a question to the previous commenting viewer who said that in this film "we see the positive and negative sides of buying and selling women.." POSITIVE sides? Excuse me, what are the positive sides of a slave trade? Maybe you didn't mean it, but your statement sounds like coming from somebody who regularly uses that sort of parlours and does not mind if those who "work" there, are being abused - as long as he gets "what he paid for". Very sad to read.