Sean Baker is no stranger to destigmatising sex workers' stories. The indie filmmaker behind 2015’s Tangerine, 2017’s The Florida Project and 2021’s Red Rocket has dedicated his career to spotlighting voices on the fringes of society. Baker’s upcoming comedy-drama Anora is no exception. When it won the Palme d’Or at Cannes earlier this year, Baker accepted his award and declared, ‘I want to dedicate this to all the sex workers around the world.’
Anora follows Ani (Mikey Madison), a young sex worker from Brooklyn who falls in love and elopes with the son of a Russian oligarch Ivan ‘Vanya’ Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn). This news does not go down well in Russia. Ani’s Cinderella story is suddenly threatened as Vanya’s parents head to New York to get their marriage annulled. In true Baker style, this is a wildly chaotic, refreshingly honest and hilarious sex-positive film.
In recent years, we’ve seen more movies about sex work emerge that challenge negative portrayals of those who do it, subvert stereotypes and help destigmatise one of society’s most misunderstood industries. From arthouse gems to cult classics and award winners, here’s a selection of the best films about sex workers.
Klute (1971)
Alan J Pakula’s Klute is a neo-noir thriller full of nail-biting suspense and stalkers in the shadows. It follows call girl Bree Daniel (Jane Fonda) as she becomes entangled in a missing-persons case. When private detective John Klute (Donald Sutherland) investigates the disappearance of his friend, he begins developing romantic feelings for Bree. The plot thickens. For her research, Fonda spent nights shadowing sex workers in Manhattan. Her layered portrayal of Bree defies clichés and earned the actress her first Oscar. Bree capitalises on her sexuality as a source of power and is bolstered by the financial security her work provides. But she remains conflicted between her fierce desire for independence and deeper emotional connection with others. A progressive character back in the Seventies, Bree remains a nuanced one today.
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022)
Nancy Stokes (Emma Thompson) is a widow reflecting on her lacklustre sex life with her late husband. In the hope of experiencing pleasurable sex, Nancy decides to hire a male escort, Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack). In this dramedy, directed by Sophie Hyde and written by Katy Brand, Nancy and Leo’s dialogue takes centre stage. Over challenging conversations in a hotel room, they unpack everything from the stigma surrounding sex work to ageism and consent. Through the film’s clever dynamic, Nancy projects common misconceptions about sex work, while Leo counters them with a fresh perspective. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is about the importance of opening up emotionally, before you can sexually.
Working Girls (1986)
Lizzie Borden’s Working Girls was ahead of its time. This 1986 film revolves around the Yale-educated Mollie (Louise Smith) who works as an upmarket call girl in New York City. Mollie and her colleagues use their money to support themselves, their families and their future ambitions. Working Girls is cast from the female gaze and is neither pro nor anti sex work – it’s portrayed as just another job, one that’s not immune to workplace politics, testing bosses and unreasonable clients; a line of work that’s just as mundane, unglamorous and transactional as any other. But also one where stigma prevents its workers from disclosing their jobs to family, friends and partners. Working Girls explores the emotional toll sex work can take on those who do it with humour and humility.
Sauvage (2018)
Sauvage is a raw, heartwrenching and visceral portrayal of life on the streets. This French arthouse film, directed by Camille Vidal-Naquet, exposes loneliness in the male sex worker industry. To prepare for Sauvage, Vidal-Naquet spent years listening to stories of young sex workers in Paris. Leo (Félix Maritaud) is a sex worker in Strasbourg, searching for love in places where it's hard to find. A contemplative film, it features a mesmerising performance from Maritaud. We find ourselves rooting for Leo – whose genuine desire for connection is rejected, objectified and degraded. The physical and emotional burden of working on the streets is laid bare, and we’re made to understand the complexity of growing up in such a harsh environment.
Belle de Jour (1967)
Luis Buñuel’s Belle de Jour inspired a long line of films about sex work, although it remains a classic in its own right. Séverine Serizy (Catherine Deneuve) is a bored housewife who longs to explore her sexual desires and fantasies. Séverine loves her husband, but is stuck in a sexless relationship with him. Instead, she finds herself having tantalising fantasies about being dominated by other men. Yearning for freedom, Séverine decides to secretly work as a call girl while her husband is at the office. Belle de Jour offers timeless cultural commentary on sexual liberation and expression.
Tangerine (2015)
Buckle up because Sean Baker’s Tangerine is one hell of a ride. Filmed on an iPhone 5s, all the action takes place over Christmas Eve. Sex worker Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) returns from jail to learn from her friend Alexandra (Mya Taylor) that Rella’s boyfriend has been cheating on her. From then on, vengeance must be wrought. As the story unfolds, friendships, relationships and livelihoods are called into question. Former sex workers Rodriguez and Taylor bring authenticity to their roles. Tangerine challenges the racism, misogyny and transphobia its protagonists are exposed to, while giving their stories the respect they deserve. This is a whip-smart whirlwind of saturated colour and twisted humour with an all-guns-blazing soundtrack.
Nights of Cabiria (1957)
Federico Fellini’s award-winning Nights of Cabiria follows happy-go-lucky sex worker Cabiria Ceccarelli (Giulietta Masina), who wanders the streets of Rome looking for love. Cabiria is repeatedly let down and disappointed by those around her, but she refuses to let her spirit be defeated. Masina (Fellini’s wife) is a total joy to watch, bringing humour and heart to her performance. While the director humanises sex workers, this comes with its limitations. Cabiria falls into the ‘hooker with a big heart’ cliché, so it’s just as well her infectious optimism for overcoming life’s adversaries makes her character so compelling.
Call Girl (2012)
Mikael Marcimain’s political thriller-cum-Scandinavian noir is set against the backdrop of a real-life 1976 scandal. Dagmar Glans (Pernilla August) is a madam who runs a sex ring for affluent clients, namely high-ranking members of the Swedish government. Call Girl follows 14-year-old Iris (Sofia Karemyr) and her cousin Sonja (Josefin Asplund), who are recruited by Dagmar and become embedded in this world of power, corruption and exploitation. Simultaneously, undercover police conduct an investigation trying to expose this underground operation. Marcimain’s smart, slow-burn film exposes the government’s hypocrisy. Publicly, they advocate for women's liberation; behind closed doors, they abuse society’s weakest members. Captivating performances from newcomer Karemyr, Glans and Simon Berger as a tenacious cop all deserve a mention.
Jeune et Jolie (2013)
Let’s set the scene: it’s summer in the south of France and teenage Isabelle (Marine Vacth) is on the cusp of her sexual awakening. Languorous, carefree days of yearning are here, but they won’t be for much longer. That summer, Isabelle loses her virginity and finds the experience underwhelming. This compels her to explore her sexuality further and seek more pleasurable experiences. Isabelle is drawn to the life of a call girl. François Ozon’s gorgeously shot film about Isabelle’s coming-of-age might be a chic glamorisation of the trade, but it still presents the confusion, isolation and complexity sex work can entail.
The Mother and the Whore (1973)
Now it’s time for a French New Wave classic. A painful love triangle anchors Jean Eustache’s 1973 drama, which is set in post-sexual revolution France. Often considered semi-autobiographical, The Mother and the Whore explores some of Eustache’s own experiences grappling with relationships, sexuality and the emotional labour of not meeting societal expectations. The young, dandyish intellectual Alexandre (Jean-Pierre Léaud) lives with, and is supported by, his partner Marie (Bernadette Lafont). After meeting a promiscuous nurse called Véronika (Françoise Lebrun), Alexandre starts courting her. A love triangle is formed. Véronika represents the complex nature of sexual freedom and autonomy. Her open-minded attitudes towards relationships and the transactional nature of physical intimacy echo those often found in sex work.
House of Tolerance (2011)
Step inside the House of Tolerance, a Parisian brothel boasting the most glamorous courtesans. But beyond the lavish corsets, emerald jewels and crystal wine glasses, all that glitters isn’t gold. It’s the turn of the 20th century and change is afoot. The Belle Époque’s flourishing culture scene is drawing to a close and difficult times lie ahead. French filmmaker Bertrand Bonello’s House of Tolerance intimately follows the lives of the brothel’s sex workers. Bonello’s erotic film possesses a beautiful yet melancholic, dreamlike quality. At times, it’s a triumphant celebration of female solidarity and sisterhood. At others, a harrowing depiction of the degradation they experience, and the disillusionment that stems from their work. Expect many familiar faces from French cinema including Portrait of a Lady on Fire’s Adèle Haenel.
Pretty Woman (1990)
Garry Marshall’s Pretty Woman arguably brought discussions about sex work into the mainstream. This Nineties romantic comedy is about wealthy businessman Edward (Richard Gere) falling for sex worker Vivian (Julia Roberts in her star-making turn). Decades later, Pretty Woman might read like a classic Hollywood love story with a well-worn damsel-in-distress narrative, but this accurately reflects the patriarchal attitudes of the time. Marshall’s feel-good rom-com is filled with iconic scenes ('Big mistake, huge!'), a legendary soundtrack and tells an uplifting story about never settling for less. Pretty Woman undoubtedly paved the way for more nuanced sex-worker films to follow.
Malèna (2000)
Director Giuseppe Tornatore is best known for the critically acclaimed Cinema Paradiso (1998), but his 2000 drama deserves recognition. Set in Sicily during World War II, under Mussolini’s fascist regime, the film captures a time of heightened tension. In the film, women exist through men, as wives and mothers. Meanwhile, Malèna (Monica Bellucci) is the village beauty left home alone, waiting for her husband to return from the war. With no male guardian around, Malèna enjoys a level of freedom and independence the other women in the village do not; she’s an Achilles heel for men and the envy of other women. The movie is told through the perspective of the teenage Renato (Giuseppe Sulfaro), who is experiencing his own sexual awakening, which morphs into a full-blown obsession with Malèna. When her father's death compels her to turn to sex work to survive, Malèna becomes the subject of even cruder village gossip. Malèna is a critique of how the female body is sexualised and objectified. Tornatore examines what being an outsider means, and how society treats them, in his cautionary tale of cruelty, atonement and humility.
Zola (2020)
How do you adapt a viral tweet into a feature film? Take a masterclass from Zola’s director Janicza Bravo. The movie is based on A’Ziah ‘Zola’ Well (Taylour Paige), a Black woman working as a dancer in Detroit, and her 148-tweet thread about an outrageous trip to Florida in 2015. After meeting Stefani (Riley Keough), Zola decides to join her on a trip to make money pole-dancing in Tampa’s strip clubs. Things go from weirder to worse. Zola is a storm in a teacup – and it’s hard to tear your eyes away. The cast is superb all around, with Succession’s Nicholas Braun as Stefani’s moany boyfriend Derrek and Colman Domingo playing the chilling X. This absurdist black comedy tells an important story about sex workers' resilience and agency.
Moulin Rouge (2001)
Baz Luhrmann has never been one to do things by half-measure – the all-singing and all-dancing Moulin Rouge is no exception. Luhrmann’s outré musical is a shock of feathers and frills, larger-than-life characters, outlandish celebrity cameos and a booming cabaret. It tells the ill-fated love story between a tortured poet (Ewan McGregor) and ‘the sparkling diamond’ Santine (Nicole Kidman), a courtesan at the Moulin Rouge. How poetic. Looking for a realistic portrayal of sex workers? You won’t find one here. But you will see what many call Luhrmann’s best film. Moulin Rouge is an exploration of love, obsession and exploitation against the backdrop of Paris’ most celebrated cabaret venue. One woman’s pursuit of freedom – and two suitors’ desire to possess her – collides with catastrophic consequences.
Hustlers (2019)
Lorene Scafaria’s Hustlers is based on the 2015 New York Times article about a group of strippers who con wealthy clients by spiking their drinks and stealing their money. Dororthy (Constance Wu) is a newcomer to sex work who wants to support her grandma and go shopping once in a while. She forms a friendship with fellow stripper Ramona (Jennifer Lopez), who’s at the top of her game. Ramona takes Dorothy under her wing and shows her how they can work together. Soon, things spiral out of control. Hustlers portrays the art, skills and hard labour that sex work demands. Subverting traditional narratives by demonstrating how sex workers exploit fragile masculinity and the systems that oppress them. Who was in the wrong? Who were the real winners and losers here? You’ll have to decide. Keep an eye out for cameos from Julia Stiles, Cardi B and Keke Palmer.
