Jose Rivera ("The Motorcycle Diaries") adapted Peter Landesman's New York Times Magazine article about the sex trafficking biz.

Roland Emmerich and Rosilyn Heller produced the project, which was previously titled "Welcome to America." German-born helmer Marco Kreuzpaintner ("Sommersturm") directed.

Paulina Gaitan, Alicja Bachleda and Cesar Ramos also star.

Storyline revolves around a 13-year-old girl and a Polish woman who are sold into the sex slave business in the U.S. A Texas cop teams up with the girl's brother to look for her and, in the process, discovers his own daughter has been kidnapped.

Emmerich, who is currently directing "10,000 B.C." for Warner Bros., said Lionsgate has a flair for marketing films with "complex, controversial" themes.

Ashok Amritraj's Hyde Park is selling foreign rights to "Trade" at Cannes.