I was lucky enough to catch American Courtesans at the Bloody Hero Film Festival in Phoenix Arizona, and although I don't usually write reviews, I decided that on this film I would. I went to the viewing expecting a docudrama with a hard sell for legalization since the film was "from within the industry", or at least that's how it was promoted. However, by the end I had a totally different take on American Courtesans and the escort industry as a whole.
As a woman, I found the film disturbing, but not in a bad way. I found myself thinking back over my life and my struggles and relating to issues these women face. I went home that night, and scenes I saw in the film keep replaying in my head unsettling me. I think what bothered me the most was that after watching American Courtesans, I couldn't believe how brainwashed I had been by traditional media, that loves to hate these women.
The film is a moving piece and people seemed to either love it, or hate it. I saw both people who got up and walked out, uncomfortable with the emotional content (hard to watch as it pulls at your heart strings), and others who sat there crying or with mouths open. It is a film that definitely makes you think and re-evaluate our take on Sex Workers. In fact, it seemed to call in to question quite a few of my beliefs about an industry I thought I knew something about.
The visuals were beautiful and the story was compelling. I found it honest, almost to a fault, candid, and rather selfless as I believe that these women took a large risk speaking out. All in all, this is a much watch film if you want to see a more realistic side of the Sex Industry today.
