Meanwhile in Mamelodi is a crafty window into a community rich in spirit. As the Hot Docs plot put’s it “ it reminds us that while life isn’t easy, there’s always a reason to keep hope”.

Who Cares - Sex Trade Workers

Hot Docs - Lauren Schell

“Who Cares” follows the cyclical addictions, violence and emotional turmoil of the highly vulnerable girls and women who are Sex Trade workers in Edmonton, Canada. It presents a heart-wrenching story that is incredibly important to watch.

“Who Cares”, made its World Premiere at Hot Docs 2012. Director Rosie Dransfeld is no stranger to documentary making. Broke. (2009), received multiple awards including Best Doc. Dransfeld is a master of cinema vérité and a Gemini Awardwinner.

“Who Cares”, will affect you deeply. It beautifully weaves together the stories of Nancy, Courtney, “the prostitute from 107th Avenue” and Shelly, the sweet-natured hopeful spirit, against the backdrop of the reality of their precarious circumstances. We discover a very personal, touching side to these women as they share their dreams and fears. “Who Cares” is a gritty, heartbreaking and massively powerful film.

We were fortunate to have Rosie Dransfeld stop by our studio to talk about why she made this documentary. Bonnie Thompson and the National Film Board of Canada produce “Who Cares”. It was a deliberate choice by Dransfeld to have the project have no commercial ties and she greatly appreciated the support and expertise of the NFB team. Dransfeld did not want to compromised her relationship with these very vulnerable young women, sex workers with so little, who had the courage to share their stories with her. These are people already being exploited. It would have corrupted the delicate process of working with these fragile women.

Dransfeld’s impressive ability to capture each woman’s most compelling moments allows the viewer to be swept up in what is the emotional whirlwind of their lives. The film allows the viewer to form their own opinion without the narrative handholding that most documentaries offer up. Dransfeld puts the camera in the hands of the sex trade workers and leaves them to record what moments of their lives they care to share. From Courtney’s self-filmed moments (stories of mutilation and almost being choked to death by a client), to conversations with the bar owner who knows the girls, the film never feels contrived. The viewer is left to decide how to feel about the characters and their decisions. This is a key element of the genre of cinema vérité.