Watch Meet the Fokkens

Meet the Fokkens is a 2011 documentary film that follows the lives of two identical twin sisters, Louise and Martine Fokkens, who have been working as prostitutes in Amsterdam's red-light district for over 50 years. The movie explores the everyday challenges that the aging sisters face, as well as their unique perspectives on life, love, and sexuality.

Directed by Gabrielle Provaas and Rob Schröder, the film begins with the Fokkens' daily routine, which involves walking around the red-light district and chatting with fellow sex workers. However, as the movie progresses, we get a glimpse into the darker aspects of the sisters' lives, including their struggles with health issues, financial struggles, and their experiences with abusive clients.

What's fascinating about Meet the Fokkens is how the documentary portrays the sisters as more than just sex workers. Both Louise and Martine are incredibly articulate and charismatic, and they have a contagious sense of humor that draws you in. Throughout the movie, the sisters discuss everything from their first time having sex to their favorite movies to the changing attitudes towards sex work in modern society.

Despite the subject matter, Meet the Fokkens is not a bleak and depressing movie. In fact, it's quite uplifting at times, as we witness the sisters' unwavering resilience and their deep bond with each other. There are also moments of humor and warmth, such as when the sisters visit their favorite sex toy shop and try out a variety of vibrators, or when they reminisce about the various celebrities and politicians that they've slept with over the years.

Of course, the movie is not without its harsh realities. We see firsthand the physical toll that sex work has taken on the sisters, from Louise's arthritis to Martine's struggles with lung cancer. We also witness the constant threat of violence and abuse that the sisters face on a daily basis, as well as the discrimination and stigma that they've encountered over the years.

Overall, Meet the Fokkens is a powerful and insightful documentary that challenges our preconceptions about sex work and humanizes those who engage in it. By telling the story of two remarkable women who have lived complex and often difficult lives, the movie forces us to confront our own biases and assumptions about the sex industry. At its core, the film is a celebration of the human spirit and the enduring power of sisterhood.

Meet the Fokkens is a 2012 documentary. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.6 and a MetaScore of 68.