fille de joie

     This week- four films about full service sex workers and how dominant social groups view them, from the dawn of the 20th century to Nazi era Germany to modern day Atlanta and Mashhad. 

     A new girl joins an upscale maison close, regulated and licensed legal brothels in France from 1804 to 1946, where a horrific event happened the year before. As she learns the workings of her new environment and gets used to the daily mundanities of their highly restricted and controlled lives. At the same time, the building's landlord is threatening to try and cash in on the house's popularity by skyrocketing the rent far beyond what the madam can afford. Bertand Bonello's fifth feature shows off his highly stylized approach and complex visual storytelling coming into full maturity, House of Tolerance (aka House of Pleasures, orig French title L'Apollonide: Souvenirs de la maison close)
     On the eve of World War II, an ambitious SS commandant devices a plan to use a group of highly trained and loyal young women as informants stationed in a popular brothel that is frequented by both ranking Nazis and international dignitaries. The plan is a huge success but it takes a heavy toll, both emotionally and physically, on the women and the commandant becomes obsessed with one of his spies. Tinto Brass's erotic war drama inspired by an actual event, Salon Kitty.
     A female Tehran-based journalist arrives in Mashhad to track down a serial killer who targets local sex workers and believes he is cleansing the city for the eight Shia Imam. She is blocked at every step by all men in authority that she encounters and beings to consider taking far riskier and increasingly dangerous methods. After his arrest, the public rally around him and his crimes. Ali Abbasi's film about a monster that isn't just a single man but a serial killer society living off deep-rooted misogyny and the complexities for anyone trying to push back, Holy Spider.
     Exploring the lives of four Black trans women sex workers, Daniella Carter, Dominique Silver, Koko Da Doll, and Liyah Mitchell, in New York and Georgia through unfiltered interviews and reenactments. The first feature from D. Smith, best know for her singer-songwriter work with a who's who of Rap, R&B, and Pop musicians in the 2000s, Kokomo City.

     All that and Tyler has the best week he's had so far on the podcast. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 453- fille de joie