Paris, present day. The strip club and erotic performance space, À mon seul désir (My Sole Desire, in English), is home to an eclectic troupe of female dancers. Like a moth to a flame, newcomer Manon (Louise Chevillotte), is drawn to their sensual lifestyle. Among her fellow dancers is club-favorite Mia (César Award winner Zita Hanrot), a beautiful, aspiring actress moonlighting at the club (unbeknownst to her live-in boyfriend) while she prepares for her third and final conservatory audition. The two women form a fast friendship. From identifying which clients she should avoid to booking her first private dance, Mia is a welcome guide for Manon's journey into erotic nightlife. Even as Manon begins experimenting with the riskier aspects of sex work that Mia has purposefully avoided, it is not long before the two begin to develop romantic feelings for one another. Navigating the complexities of this new life, Manon is forced to question her own sexuality as the line between professional and personal desire begins to blur.
Anchored by committed performances from Chevillotte and Hanrot and featuring eccentric cameos such as that of legendary documentarian Frederick Wiseman, Lucie Borleteau's new film is a sensual and exuberant romp. MY SOLE DESIRE takes an unvarnished and ultimately lighthearted look at sex work and its participants.
