The Red Umbrella Diaries (NR)

synopsis

This documentary tells the personal stories of seven diverse New Yorkers who work in different sectors of the sex trade and come together to tell their tales on stage at Joe's Pub. Using the performances as a framing device, the film digs deep into the personal experiences of people who trade sex for a living, and illuminates the complexities and contradictions that sex workers face as they try to do right by themselves and people they care about. The storylines weave in threads that many Americans struggle with: work, family, religion, health, and community. The film explores the question: what happens when people whose voices are never heard in mainstream media take control of their own stories and how they are presented to the world?