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American Courtesans

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American Courtesans

American Courtesans is a feature documentary that takes you into the lives of American Sex Workers. These women candidly discuss what brought them to the doors of the sex trade, what they found when they got there and why they stayed. Follow eleven Sex Workers through the streets, massage parlors, brothels and strip clubs to New York high rises and the bell captains in Vegas. This is a story, a different kind of American Story, that will leave you speechless.

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Release : 2013
Rating : 6.4
Studio :
Crew : Director,  Executive Producer, 
Cast :
Genre : Documentary

Cast List

Reviews

Perry Kate
2021/05/13

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

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Ava-Grace Willis
2018/08/30

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

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Philippa
2018/08/30

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

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Kinley
2018/08/30

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

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jorubyryan
2013/08/11

I have watched quite a few documentaries about sex work and sex workers. But this film is truly different and original. It is definitely one of the best ever produced. I was privileged to view it at the Desiree Alliance Sex Worker Rights Conference. I truly believe that the fact that a former sex industry worker produced the film is quite significant. She was able to gain trust from her interviewee subjects in a genuine manner. Several she already had long term relationships with, and this friendship helped allowed her subjects to feel safe. Too many documentaries on this subject, even if well intentioned, come off as sensationalistic and objectifying. They are almost always made by non-sex workers who often have a concealed political agenda. Here, the producer and interviewer comes of as a peer or a sister, and the tone this creates in the film is both intimate and refreshing. Sex workers need to be humanized in this culture. They need to be seen as our sisters, our neighbors, our co-workers and our fellow parishioners. This film succeeds to humanize all of its subjects and let their complex stories unfold in their own time and their own way. It neither demonizes the complex subject of sex work, nor does it romanticize it. it shows it in all its messy and complicated diversity, and this is such a feat for the realm of representation and documentary film. The film does demonstrate, at least to me, that all sex work needs to be decriminalized. The criminalization of sex work is wrong on all levels and needs to be changed. While not overtly political, the film sets the stage for sex worker rights because it humanizes sex workers and helps the viewer to identify with these women and their complex and difficult life circumstances. As a teacher I want to say how useful and transformative this film would be for many disciplines, including Sociology, Social Work, Women's and Gender Studies, Sexuality Studies, Cultural Studies and more. Whoever you are, view this film and transform and challenge your own thinking on this topic. And learn so much about humanity, resilience and strength from the stories of these women who are coming to voice, emerging from the shadows, and daring to fight for positive social change.

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Ray Aldred
2013/07/20

When one looks for documentaries about the sex industry or what it's like to be a sex worker, usually they find something done by outsiders (ie. reporters, investigative journalists, and so on), but American Courtesans breaks this trend. It is a heartfelt, provocative, moving and revealing documentary comprised primarily of interviews with workers in the sex trade, in their own voices. The viewer is taken into the lives of those in the sex trade, as they reveal the intricate details of their lives from births, through childhood, and into their adult years. Keenly aware of the stereotype that those in the sex trade are forced or coerced into entering their profession, all of the interviewees demand that their decision to enter the sex industry was just that, a decision. It is a decision based on their past and present constraints. This film, in part, helps one understand some of these constraints.At times, the narratives are tragic and incredibly moving, as some of the interviews reveal some dark memories of assault and violence. My heart nearly broke as one Kristen DiAngelo (the producer of the film) bravely tells, in tears and in great detail, how she was the victim of violent assault. But her story does not end there; DiAngelo later reveals the steps she took to cope with her traumatic past, and empower herself. At other times, the stories take a surprisingly humorous turn. Indeed, one can't help but conclude that these lives are not simply defined by tragedy, but also triumph, humor, resilience and compassion.American Courtesans is a film that reveals the striking details of those in the sex trade. It traverses the terrain of their lives, and gives a human face to the industry. At the same time, it reveals the diversity in backgrounds, histories, and perspectives of the participants. I enjoyed the film for it's candidness and the remarkable courage these women had for agreeing to be interviewed for the film. As such, I would recommend this movie to any person interested in knowing the stories and lives of some of those in the sex trade. All in all it is a great documentary.

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DJP_ma
2013/07/20

I just viewed "American Courtesans" over the past week. This look into the lives and thoughts of a variety of women in the field of erotic labor is a "must - see" for anyone who wants a real comprehensive understanding of the people who offer Escort services, their life backgrounds, and how they view the value and the challenges of their profession. I would encourage and recommend viewing of "American Coutesans" to anyone with preconceived notions about erotic services and the people who provide that work. Those notions will be changed by the end of viewing the film. This documentary stands with the best of "Identity Politics" film -making such as the seminal documentary on LGBT individuals, "Word Is Out". I highly recommend this documentary to any academic with curriculum involving human sexuality and culture, social movements, and marginalized and stigmatized social groups.

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rebecca hastings
2013/03/24

I attended The Women's International Film and Arts Festival in Miami, Fl for the third year and once again saw so many great films and this year it was "American Courtesans" that caught my attention. I have watched many films/TV/News shows on this subject, but this was the most informative film I have seen regarding the adult industry. It was personal and up close. I found myself wanting to know each of the women and as the film went on I realized that it was a human and civil rights documentary, much like "Free Angela" which was played on opening night.I think there are times we believe that women's rights are equal in the United States today, but then you see something like this and you realize we have a long way to go. The escorts in the film were smart and articulate and their stories were more interesting than fiction. I found myself tearing up in the middle and wishing I could become a part of this movement. Kristen DiAngelo, the films producer had to leave before the screening, but I had met her opening night. After the film I had a million questions that I wanted to ask, and wished she could have stayed. Two of the women in the film had attended the screening. Pearl Callahan and Skylar Cruz. We questioned them for so long that Pearl almost missed her plane.I can see this film being around for a long time and becoming the subject of women's studies classes here in the US (my major). It drove home the point that this is not an issue of race or money, but a women's issue that effects all of us. The sets were fabulous, and the women were candid. Definitely not a docudrama, but a documentary about these women's lives. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know the truth about the escort industry. If there was one complaint I had, it was that the room was too light and during the night time scenes I had a bit of trouble seeing the screen. The sound was so good, that it was hair raising, and the editing much better than any documentary I have seen.So, my opinion is go see this film. Whether you are female or male, you will not believe what these women's lives are like in this day and age. I had never really thought about it before, but I wish I could become involved and help to change the laws.

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