My roman empire? Sanctuary. I think about this movie so much it’s probably something worth bringing up to my therapist. This is the love story I’ve been begging to see since 2002’s Secretary . I was thrilled to pen my love for this film for the escort and BDSM directory Tryst.

anctuary was an unexpected find in my Hulu Halloween recommendations sandwiched between traditional horror movies. It's billed as a psychological thriller, though I would hardly consider it that, but maybe vanilla people are really easily frightened. It does defy easy categorization, effortlessly genre-hopping to meld into what I can only describe as a “psychosexual screwball rom-com”.

The film features only two actors, Christopher Abbot and Margaret Qualley, and one set for its entirety. Sanctuary does this minimalism justice with great acting, and captivating storytelling. It kept me hooked, horny, laughing, and surprised.

The premise: Rich kid Hal (Christopher Abbot) is on the eve of inheriting his fathers highly profitable hotel chain. To prepare for his new role, or to seem worthy of it, he decides to end his long-standing relationship with Rebecca (Margaret Qualley), his Dominatrix. What follows is a surreal, erotic and often comedic power struggle between the two.

It’s no secret that representation for sex workers is cliché at best and harmful at its worst. Rarely do we see our stories told, and even rarer are they portrayed with authenticity, integrity, or neutrality. We are reduced to either victims or predators; trauma porn or a punchline. Even when we are given the benefit of character development, our work itself is still presented as an antagonist of the story. The hooker with a heart of gold cliché, she is morally good, kind, generous – presented as a contrast against her work. We are dehumanized and mocked or rescued and redeemed.

It does defy easy categorization, effortlessly genre-hopping to meld into what I can only describe as a “psychosexual screwball rom-com”.

Sanctuary breaks free from these conventions: we get a romcom where the sex work isn’t the punchline, and the sex worker is a multifaceted, complex individual. The value of her work is openly discussed and is presented without judgment. What a novel concept!

Spoilers Ahead - You’ve been warned.