Leo is 22 and sells his body for cash on the outskirts of Strasbourg. The men may come and go, but Leo is looking for something more. Will life as a sex worker bring him the happiness he craves, or will it toughen and transform him beyond recognition? This provocative film is an intimate portrait of a beautiful man with a less than beautiful life, and an often tender exploration of broken hearts and lost souls.
“The movie’s melancholy sensuality exerts a hold that should guarantee a niche in the queer cinema landscape.” – Hollywood Reporter
“Sauvage is refreshingly straightforward in its explicit depiction of sex and male physicality: It’s a film that scrutinizes male bodies — whether lithely tattooed or creased like crepe paper — with an attentive but uncritical eye.” – Variety
“This ambitious film addresses all the ramifications of Leo’s life with an energy that averts cliché… this is a work of rare vitality.” – Sight & Sound
Director Camille Vidal-Naquet and star Félix Maritaud will be appearing at this year’s Iris Prize Festival (Saturday screening only)
