SEX SELLS
Rudi Brekelmans / Netherlands / 2022 / 33 min.
Included in WORK IT Short Films – November 11 at 5 pm – Buy Tickets
It’s the fall of 2020. Lockdowns and restrictions have been released in the Netherlands, but the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has left sex worker Ellen in debt with a pimp. Determined to win back her independence she goes on a date with Evert, a reclusive salesman who actually prospered during the pandemic. The two loners connect at first, but once Ellen finds out how Evert made his fortune, a perfectly pleasant evening takes a dramatic turn for the worse.
Director’s Biography – Rudi Brekelmans
Rudi Brekelmans (1977) is a screenwriter turned director. He has written several short films – both live action and animation – of which the short western animation ‘Bullet Time’ was the Dutch entry for the 2018 Academy Awards.
Rudi debuted as a director with ‘Medulla’ (2018), a dark psychological thriller about a misogynist psychiatrist who treats a female client whose liberated attitude becomes an obsession to him. The film is shot in 4:3 and in black and white. Rudi wrote, directed, produced and edited the film. He built the soundscape of the film purely from the actors voices. ‘Medulla’ premiered at the Netherlands Film Festival where it was nominated for best directorial debut.
Despite the film being released during the Covid pandemic, ‘Medulla’ won several awards and festival selections and nominations. It’s especially popular around the independent arthouse film circuit.
In February of 2022, Rudi released his second independent film ‘Sex Sells.’ Switching to a bright colour palette and a scope widescreen aspect ratio the film depicts the struggles of an independent sex worker during Covid times. Again Rudi wrote, directed, produced, and edited. Being a musician/composer this time he also wrote, recorded, and produced the original soundtrack.
