Working Girls

Three women, three lives, one shared secret: Every morning, Axelle, Dominique, and Conso meet in a parking lot in northern France. They leave their everyday identities behind and cross the border into Belgium, where they work in a brothel as Athena, Circe, and Hera. What began as a pragmatic solution to financial difficulties develops into a complex double life in which solidarity, humor, and mutual support play central roles. But when a dramatic event shatters their world, they must confront not only external threats but also internal conflicts. WORKING GIRLS (original title: FILLES DE JOIE) by Frédéric Fonteyne and Anne Paulicevich is a powerful drama that sheds light on the realities of women navigating between social expectations and personal needs. The film premiered in 2020 at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in the “Voices Limelight” section and was submitted as Belgium's entry for the Oscar in the “Best International Feature Film” category. At the 11th Magritte Awards, WORKING GIRLS received nominations in the categories “Best Film” and “Best Screenplay.” The outstanding performances of Sara Forestier, Noémie Lvovsky, and Annabelle Lengronne lend depth and authenticity to the characters. With sensitive direction and a haunting soundtrack by Vincent Cahay, the film succeeds in drawing viewers into the complex world of its protagonists and encouraging them to reflect on issues such as female solidarity, self-determination, and social double standards.

Keywords

  • Cine-Short: 90 Minutes of cinema
  • Gender
  • International Film Festival Rotterdam
  • Les Magritte du Cinéma
  • Only on Sooner
  • Politics: Human Rights
  • Women's Rights
  • women

Actors

  • Sara Forestier
  • Noémie Lvovsky
  • Annabelle Lengronne
  • Nicolas Cazalé

Director

  • Frédéric Fonteyne
  • Anne Paulicevich

Crime, Drama


1h 31min


-16

FR

Belgium
France
2020
WORKING GIRLS is a gripping, character-driven drama about three resilient prostitutes navigating complex lives and dark secrets in a Belgian brothel.

WORKING GIRLS is a gripping, character-driven drama about three resilient prostitutes navigating complex lives and dark secrets in a Belgian brothel.


Three women, three lives, one shared secret: Every morning, Axelle, Dominique, and Conso meet in a parking lot in northern France. They leave their everyday identities behind and cross the border into Belgium, where they work in a brothel as Athena, Circe, and Hera.


What began as a pragmatic solution to financial difficulties develops into a complex double life in which solidarity, humor, and mutual support play central roles. But when a dramatic event shatters their world, they must confront not only external threats but also internal conflicts.


WORKING GIRLS (original title: FILLES DE JOIE) by Frédéric Fonteyne and Anne Paulicevich is a powerful drama that sheds light on the realities of women navigating between social expectations and personal needs. The film premiered in 2020 at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in the “Voices Limelight” section and was submitted as Belgium's entry for the Oscar in the “Best International Feature Film” category. At the 11th Magritte Awards, WORKING GIRLS received nominations in the categories “Best Film” and “Best Screenplay.”


The outstanding performances of Sara Forestier, Noémie Lvovsky, and Annabelle Lengronne lend depth and authenticity to the characters. With sensitive direction and a haunting soundtrack by Vincent Cahay, the film succeeds in drawing viewers into the complex world of its protagonists and encouraging them to reflect on issues such as female solidarity, self-determination, and social double standards.

Festivals

Cast & Crew