Sexarbeiterin (2016)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Sobo Swobodnik
	Actors: Lena Morgenroth
	Country: D
	Genre: Documentary
	Conditions of visioning: 10.03.2016, Cinema am Ostertor, German version
Synopsis: The movie follows Lena Morgenroth in her daily work of "sex worker".
Review: I was very interested in the discussion with guests more than in the movie itself. The movie focuses on one unique sex worker who choose to live this way. It shows her as a businesswoman making her planning, proposing services adapted to the wishes of the customers, taking seriously the service and the job, having continuing education. And beside this successful professional life, she maintains a work life balance by meeting family and friends. Apparently nothing to criticize in this model life. Then why Terre des femmes demonstrated at the entrance of the theater? Well, their position is that this job shall be illegal. This sounds like wanting to illegalise drugs (if we consider sex as a drug or as a common need). In this sense this motto seems to me quite irrealistic. This non-profit women’s rights organisation follows otherwise excellent goals.  The image in black and white gives more intimacy and the hidden camera gives the impression to protect the characters. The many working scenes have similar effects, even if these could be seen also as arty porn movie scenes. The camera driving and light are very well mastered. The directing shows good technical abilities, but the story is so focused and removes the political discussion on this hot topic. And on purpose! The only scene where the legal framework and the political situation was starting to be discussed is grossly interrupted by showing Lena Morgenroth totally uninterested in a back room and the sound of the debate is turned very very low. For a documentary this cannot be. By luck the discussion afterwards and the question/answers was somehow constructive. Present were the organisation Nitribitt e.V. (supporting sex workers in Bremen), the political parties SPD and Die Linke. Thus with the discussion, the movie could be rated 8/10. But evaluating the documentary itself this goes clearly down.
Rating: 4 /10