Women Make Waves International Film Festival

Program

Meet the Fokkens

Gabrielle PROVAS Rob SCHRÖDER 2011 Netherland Documentary color 70min Dutch DigiBeta
Louise and Martine Fokkens are 70-year-old identical twins. For over 40 years they were working as prostitutes in Amsterdam's Red Light District. They freed themselves from the control of their pimps, ran their own brothel, and set up the first informal trade union for prostitutes, in order to fight for reasonable wages. Louise has retired, but Martine works as usual for living expenses. She has been accompanied by her friends whom she regularly meets in church. They have been trying to convince her to retire.
A different type of clientele visits these local celebrities, as Martine allows the crew inside her booth to see her day-to-day working life and the men who inhabit it. Between explicit scenes of her daily grind, Martine and Louise stroll the city in matching outfits, recounting hilariously ribald stories from a lifetime of sex work. (Discussing a client who was a chaplain, one recalls: "Don't you remember, we even had a little confessional!") An immensely affectionate portrait of two women who have seen and done everything, Meet the Fokkens is a rollicking and revealing look at the world's oldest profession in the 21st century.

Director

Gabrielle PROVAS

Gabrielle PROVAS graduated in 1996 at the University of Amsterdam in Film & Television Studies, with minors in Art History and Psychology. Since 2002 she works as a freelance journalist for various newspapers and magazines.

Rob SCHRÖDER

Rob SCHRÖDER was one of the founders of Wild Plakken, a designers' collective working for cultural institutions. He also serves as an editor and director for documentaries.

Gabrielle PROVAS

2011 Meet the Fokkens

Rob SCHRÖDER

2011 Meet the Fokkens

Production Company / Submarine


Email: info@submarine.nl


www.submarine.nl


Sales Company / AUTLOOK Filmsales GmbH

Email: welcome@autlookfilms.com

www.autlookfilms.com