The House

The House (La Maison, 2022), directed by Anissa Bonnefont, is an adaptation of the acclaimed 2019 autobiographical novel by French author Emma Becker. Set primarily in Berlin, where prostitution is legal and regulated, the narrative follows Emma (Ana Girardot), a 27-year-old French novelist experiencing severe creative block after the success of her earlier work. Intrigued by the taboo realities of sex work and eager to understand female desire from within rather than from an academic distance, Emma decides to immerse herself completely into the world of sex work.

Adopting the working alias "Justine," Emma joins La Maison, an upscale, discreet Berlin brothel managed by seasoned figures such as the enigmatic Madame (Rossy de Palma) and colleagues like Delly (Aure Atika). What begins as an intellectual, undercover writing assignment soon evolves into an all-consuming double life. Emma forms bonds of sorority with fellow sex workers, navigates a mosaic of male fantasies and emotional vulnerabilities, and discovers facets of her own sexuality.

As the boundaries between Emma the observer-writer and Justine the participant-courtesan blur, the psychological weight of her chosen double existence begins to take a toll. Emma must balance her hidden profession against her personal relationships—including her sister and romantic partners—while confronting the inherent emotional hazards and power dynamics of commodifying physical intimacy.

The central idea of The House is an exploration of the "female gaze" regarding female desire, bodily autonomy, and sex work. Director Anissa Bonnefont and source author Emma Becker reject traditional cinematic depictions of prostitution that frame sex workers solely as helpless victims or hyper-sexualized objects for the male gaze.

Instead, the film presents sex work as a complex intersection of labor, emotional caregiving, performance, and empowerment, while simultaneously acknowledging its psychological fatigue and physical vulnerabilities. The broader message asserts that true agency lies in a woman's right to explore, understand, and own her sensuality without shame, even as it interrogates how transactional intimacy reshapes personal identity.

The film can be understood through three distinct analytical frameworks:

Released amid active European debates regarding prostitution laws—specifically comparing the Nordic model of penalizing clients against the German model of regulated brothels—The House sparked discussions regarding bodily sovereignty and sex workers' rights.

Premiering at festivals such as the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival, the film divided critics. Many praised Yann Maritaud’s cinematography, Bonnefont's empathetic direction, and the depiction of female solidarity, while some reviewers felt the narrative romanticized sex work or suffered from pacing unevenness in its middle section.

Audience and critical responses highlight several key aspects:

• Praised Elements: Rich, painterly cinematography and set design creating an intimate atmosphere; supportive chemistry and sorority among the ensemble cast (Girardot, Atika, De Palma); and a nuanced depiction of male clients as emotionally fragile rather than cartoonish villains.
• Criticisms: Tonal swings between romanticized elegance and gritty reality, as well as a subplot involving Emma’s conventional romance outside the house that felt underdeveloped to some critics.
• Overall Verdict: An engaging, visually sumptuous, and provocative drama that offers a refreshing, female-directed perspective on intimacy, even when caught between sociological exploration and erotic melodrama.