
Oneofthemostterribleillsofourtime,peopletrafficking,followstheso-calledBalkansRouteforsmugglingpeopleintotheWest.BosnianandCroatianpapersoftencarrystoriesaboutgroupsofillegalimmigrantsdiscoveredbythepolice,andjustasfrequentarethenewsofsuchimimigrants'deaths.TheMelonRouteisinspiredbythetruestoryoftwelveillegalimmigrantswhodrownedintheriverSavaontheborderofBosniaandCroatia.Thiseventhasbeenenlargedinthescript,andseenthroughtheeyesofayoungChinesegirl,wholosesherfatherintheaccident.Sheentersintoatenuousrelationshipwithanex-CroatianArmysoldier,acureddrugaddictsufferingfromPTSD,wholosteverythinginthewar.Thelinguisticandculturalbarriersbetweenthetwoprotagonistsgiveanaddeddimensiontothefilm,shotthroughbythepainfulrealizationthatitishardtocarryaninescapableburden:one'splaceofbirth.

