Topic: Prostitution

Direction Mireia Sallarès

Direction Federico Fellini

Cast Giulietta Masina · François Périer · Amedeo Nazzari · Aldo Silvani

Synopsis Nights of Cabiria (1957) follows the life of Cabiria, a naive and hopeful prostitute residing in a destitute area of Rome. She owns a modest home and has a small savings, nurturing dreams of a transformative event. The narrative delves...

Direction Martin Scorsese

Cast Robert De Niro · Cybill Shepherd · Jodie Foster · Albert Brooks

Synopsis Taxi Driver (1976) follows the descent into madness of Travis Bickle, a disturbed Vietnam veteran portrayed by Robert De Niro, as he navigates the grimy streets of New York City behind the wheel of his taxi. Bickle's nights are filled...

Direction Mikhail Kalatozov

Cast Luz María Collazo · José Gallardo · Raúl García · Sergio Corrieri

Synopsis I Am Cuba (1964) delves into the alluring yet corrupt realm of pre-revolutionary Cuba under the rule of Fulgencio Batista, juxtaposing it with the harsh realities of poverty and oppression faced by the Cuban populace. The film weaves together four...

Direction Billy Wilder

Cast Jack Lemmon · Shirley MacLaine · Lou Jacobi · Bruce Yarnell

Synopsis Irma la Douce (1963) follows the tale of Nestor Patou (Jack Lemmon), a dedicated but naive policeman who stumbles upon a bustling street of prostitutes in a lively Parisian district. After reporting the women to his corrupt superior, who turns...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Machiko Kyô · Aiko Mimasu · Ayako Wakao · Michiyo Kogure

Synopsis Street of Shame (1956) follows the lives of five women who work in the Dreamland brothel, located in Tokyo's Yoshiwara district. As the Japanese government debates a potential prohibition on prostitution, the film delves into the personal stories and aspirations...

Direction Vasilis Georgiadis

Cast Jenny Karezi · Mairi Hronopoulou · Dimitris Papamichael · Giorgos Foundas

Synopsis The Red Lights (1963) delves into the lives of five prostitutes in the notorious brothels of Troumba, a slum in Peiraieus, just before their closure. Anna, deeply in love with a kind and wise sea captain, conceals the existence of...

Direction Darren Aronofsky

Cast Jared Leto · Jennifer Connelly · Ellen Burstyn · Marlon Wayans

Synopsis Requiem for a Dream (2000) follows the intertwined lives of Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto) and Marion Silver (Jennifer Connelly), a couple from Brooklyn with aspirations of opening a small business and enjoying a life of love and success. However, their...

Direction Hanna Polak · Andrzej Celinski

Synopsis The Children of Leningradsky (2004) delves into the harsh realities faced by homeless children in contemporary Russia, with a specific focus on those residing in the Leningradsky train station in Moscow. This 35-minute documentary, which was recognized with an Academy...

Direction Pier Paolo Pasolini

Cast Anna Magnani · Franco Citti · Ettore Garofolo · Silvana Corsini

Synopsis Mamma Roma (1962) presents a poignant tale directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. The narrative revolves around Mamma Roma, portrayed by Anna Magnani, a former sex worker striving to escape her sordid past and build a better life for herself and...

Direction Ross Kauffman · Zana Briski

Synopsis Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004) follows the journey of photojournalist Zana Briski as she captures the lives of prostitutes in Calcutta's notorious red-light district. During her time there, she forms bonds with the children of these women...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Michiyo Kogure · Ayako Wakao · Seizaburô Kawazu · Saburo Date

Synopsis A Geisha (Gion bayashi) (1953) unfolds in the post-war Gion district of Kyoto, where the experienced geisha Miyoharu takes on the role of mentor to Eiko, a 16-year-old girl whose mother, a former geisha, has recently passed away. After a...

Direction David Simon · Michelle MacLaren · Ernest R. Dickerson · James Franco

Cast James Franco · Maggie Gyllenhaal · Margarita Levieva · Gbenga Akinnagbe

Synopsis The Deuce (TV Series) (2017) chronicles the evolution and ascent of the adult entertainment industry in New York's Times Square, spanning from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s. The narrative delves into the gritty and tumultuous environment that thrived in...

Direction Mikio Naruse

Cast Hideko Takamine · Masayuki Mori · Daisuke Kato · Tatsuya Nakadai

Synopsis When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960) follows the story of a seasoned and accomplished proprietor of a Tokyo hostess bar who grapples with the inevitability of retirement as she ages. The narrative delves into her personal and professional life,...

Direction Jean-Luc Godard

Cast Anna Karina · Sady Rebbot · André S. Labarthe · Guylaine Schlumberger

Synopsis Vivre Sa Vie (My Life to Live) (1962) follows the journey of Nana (Anna Karina), a young and attractive Parisian woman in her early twenties who intentionally departs from her husband and their infant child, aspiring to pursue a career...

Direction Kinuyo Tanaka

Cast Hisako Hara · Akemi Kita · Chieko Seki · Masumi Harukawa

Direction John Schlesinger

Cast Dustin Hoffman · Jon Voight · Brenda Vaccaro · Sylvia Miles

Synopsis Midnight Cowboy (1969) follows the journey of Joe Buck, a naive young man from Texas who ventures to New York City with dreams of becoming a successful gigolo. Initially, Joe's naivety leads him to be exploited by others, but his...

Direction Luis Buñuel

Cast Catherine Deneuve · Jean Sorel · Michel Piccoli · Francisco Rabal

Synopsis Belle de jour (1967) follows the story of Séverine, a young woman married to a doctor. Despite her deep affection for her husband, she struggles with physical intimacy. To satisfy her desires, she engages in vivid, kinky, erotic fantasies. Eventually,...

Direction Pier Paolo Pasolini

Cast Franco Citti · Silvana Corsini · Franca Pasut · Paola Guidi

Synopsis Accattone (1961) presents a stark and unflinching portrayal of a pimp navigating the grimy streets of Rome. Vittorio Accattone, the central figure, has never known the value of hard work, relying instead on the earnings of his companion, Maddalena, who...

Direction Frank Borzage

Cast Janet Gaynor · Charles Farrell · Natalie Kingston · Alberto Rabagliati

Synopsis Street Angel (1928) unfolds in the vibrant city of Naples, where Angela, a young woman, faces a harsh reality. After attempting to steal to afford medicine for her ailing mother, Angela is condemned to a year in the workhouse. She...