Irina Palm
| Irina Palm | |
|---|---|
Movie poster
|
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| Directed by | Sam Garbarski |
| Produced by |
Sébastien Delloye Diana Elbaum Georges van Brueghel |
| Written by |
Martin Herron Philippe Blasband Sam Garbarski |
| Starring |
Marianne Faithfull Miki Manojlović Kevin Bishop |
| Music by | Ghinzu |
| Distributed by | Strand Releasing (US) |
|
Release date
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13 February 2007 (Premiere in Berlin) |
|
Running time
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103 minutes |
| Language | English |
Irina Palm is a 2007 tragicomedy film starring Marianne Faithfull and Miki Manojlović. It is a co-production of five countries (Belgium, Luxembourg, Great Britain, Germany and France). The film premiered at the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival. The film has earned over US $10 million worldwide.
The 50-year-old widow Maggie (Marianne Faithfull) desperately needs money for the cost of traveling to Australia for a special medical treatment of her beloved ill grandson Olly. After several unsuccessful attempts to get a job, she finds herself in the streets of Soho. Her eye is caught by poster in the window of a shop called Sexy World: "Hostess wanted." She enters, and Miki (Miki Manojlović), the owner of the shop, explains to her frankly that "hostess" is a euphemism for "whore." The job he has for her is one for which age and being visually attractive are not important: a male customer inserts his penis in a hole in a wall (glory hole), and she, at the other side, gives a handjob (however, the film does not show any penis). Her colleague, Luisa, shows her how to do it, and after the first hesitation, she quickly develops good skills. However, she keeps her work secret from friends and family, which leads to uncomfortable situations. After a while, she tells some friends. They are quite interested and ask various details.
Under the pseudonym Irina Palm, she becomes increasingly more successful and well-paid, 600 to 800 pounds a week. However, the health of her grandson deteriorates quickly, therefore she asks and receives an advance payment of 6000 pounds for 10 weeks of work. She gives the money to her son Tom (Kevin Bishop) without telling how she got it. He follows her to learn about the source of the money, and is furious when he discovers what she does. He wants her to never go there again and says he will himself return the money and not go to Australia. However, his wife, Sarah, is thankful to Maggie for her sacrifice to save the boy. Tom and Maggie reconcile and Tom, Sarah, and Olly go to Australia.
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