Stowaway alternatively known as Snakeheads, is a 2001 Hong Kong action film based on the true story of a group of stowaway

Stowaway

A stowaway is a person who secretly boards a vehicle, such as an aircraft, bus, ship, cargo truck or train, to travel without paying and without being detected....

s from Fuzhou

Fuzhou

Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....

 illegally immigrating to the United Kingdom in 2000. In the incident, 58 illegal immigrants suffocated to death in an airtight truck of tomatoes at Dover, England on June 20, 2000.

Synopsis

In June 2000, a group of Fuzhou

Fuzhou

Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....

 people spend a fortune for various reasons to be smuggled to the United Kingdom. They are first sent to Quailin, before crossing the border to Vietnam

Vietnam

Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

. After waiting there for fake documents for flying to Moscow

Moscow

Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...

, they head to Holland. They are unable to travel to Moscow as the people smugglers are detected. The plan is changed and all the illegal immigrants have to travel to Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

 by car, then walk across the border to the Czech Republic

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

 through snowstorms. They are able to sneak into Holland and hide in a truck to enter into the United Kingdom, but the airtight space in the truck results in the deaths of 58 people, leaving only 2 survivors.

Cast

• Julian Cheung
  Julian Cheung
  Julian Cheung Chi-lam , better known as Chilam, is an award-winning Hong Kong singer and actor. Cheung is popularly known for his role as Guo Jing in the 1994 TV series adaptation of the Wuxia novel, The Legend of the Condor Heroes and also as Chi-Kin from the TVB drama Cold Blood Warm Heart...
  
   as Chow Tai-Fuk
• Athena Chu
  Athena Chu
  Athena Chu is a Hong Kong actress and singer.-Biography:Chu attended The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts from 1990 to 1992, during which time she hosted children's shows on the television station TVB. After graduating in 1992, she started working on films. Her roles with Chow kick-started...
  
   as Kam Lan
• Hu Bing as Chi-Ming
• Chang Chia-chia as Ming-Wai
• Benny Lai as Vincent
• Oscar Leung as
• Michael Chow
  Michael Chow Man-Kin
  Michael Chow Man-Kin is a Canada-born Hong Kong-based actor.-Filmography:* Son of the Dragon - Bo* Forever Yours - Lou Jao* Love Trilogy - Li Caishun* Fate Fighter * Kung Phooey! - Art Chew...
  
   as Yiu-Chung
• Jady Lee as Siu-Tsui
• Annie Wu
  Annie Wu
  Annie Wu may refer to:*Annie Wu , Chinese actress and model*Annie Wu , Hong Kong-based Chinese businesswoman...
  
   as Si-Nga
• Mou Feilian as Kuen Jie
• Chan Jun Kin as Hang Jai

Production

Filming locations took place in Fuzhou

Fuzhou

Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....

, Vietnam

Vietnam

Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

, Moscow

Moscow

Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...

, Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

, and England.