Steven Soderbergh's “The Girlfriend Experience” premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and debuted in limited theaters on May 22nd, 2009.
The film was shot in October 2008 for $1.7 million in 16 days. The latest Soderbergh's low-budget indie starring real-life porn star, 21-year-old Sasha Grey but it's not a porno by any means.
Synopsis: Set in the weeks leading up to the 2008 presidential election, The Girlfriend Experience is five days in the life of Chelsea (adult film star Sasha Grey in her mainstream film debut), an ultra… Set in the weeks leading up to the 2008 presidential election, The Girlfriend Experience is five days in the life of Chelsea (adult film star Sasha Grey in her mainstream film debut), an ultra high-end Manhattan call girl who offers more than sex to her clients, but companionship and conversation – “the girlfriend experience.” Chelsea thinks she has her life totally under control-she feels her future is secure because she runs her own business her own way, makes $2000 an hour, and has a devoted boyfriend (Chris Santos) who accepts her lifestyle. But when you're in the business of meeting people, you never know who you're going to meet…
The twentieth film from Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh, “The Girlfriend Experience” is a sexy, gorgeously shot time capsule from the not-too-distant past.
“The Girlfriend Experience” reviews:
- Cinematical
- Spout Blog
- The New York Times
- Rolling Stone
- Los Angeles Times
- SFGate
- CinemaBlend
I just read a Rolling Stone interview with the girl and a few of the descriptions made me decide to ask this. Do you feel she is doing anything wrong, is she enabling others to do wrong? She claims she’s breaking down barriers to sexuality, how do you feel about that?
Movies often portray sex-workers, but their customers remain well hidden – faceless and nameless. “As a filmmaker, I simply wanted to reveal what is hidden – the john”. So says Pietrobruno – the director of GFE: GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE. An entertaining peek into the world of prostitution from the client’s point of view, Pietrobruno’s GFE: GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE follows a man obsessed with prostitutes who discovers that love is a lot more expensive than sex.