Sean Baker arbeitet aktiv daran, das Bild von Sexarbeitern zu verändern. In seinen Filmen, darunter das mit einem iPhone gedrehte „Tangerine“, wirft er einen empathischen Blick auf das Leben von Sexarbeitern und beleuchtet Themen wie Freundschaft und Vertrauen. Er sieht es als seine Verantwortung, diese oft stigmatisierten Geschichten respektvoll zu erzählen, um Vorurteile abzubauen. Baker verweist auch auf seine persönlichen Erfahrungen mit Sucht, die sein Verständnis für marginalisierte Gemeinschaften geprägt haben und ihn in seiner künstlerischen Entwicklung beeinflussten.
Sean Baker is on a mission to reshape perceptions of sex workers. In his 2015 indie film “Tangerine,” shot entirely on an iPhone, he delved into the bond between two transgender sex workers who find comfort and support in each other. His films “Starlet” and “Red Rocket” utilize the porn industry as a lens to explore themes of connection and trust. Most recently, Baker’s Palme d’Or-winning film “Anora” focuses on an exotic dancer who believes she’s on the verge of escaping the world of strip clubs and unsavory men—at least, that’s what she thinks. While Baker possesses a profound, nuanced understanding of these stigmatized communities, he emphasizes that he doesn’t want to be pigeonholed solely into making stories about them.
“I never wanted it to become a shtick of mine or anything like that,” Baker mentioned during a recent event in Los Angeles. “I want these stories to be ones I’m genuinely passionate about and feel I can tell in a respectful and responsible manner.”
Baker recognizes the crucial role of providing sex workers with a platform, ensuring their narratives are shared in a dignified way. His experience while creating “Tangerine” underscored the responsibility he bears—not only to entertain but also to counteract the negative stereotypes often attached to sex workers in media narratives. “I hope that by portraying our characters in an empathetic light, the audience will rally behind them, helping to dismantle the unjust stigma surrounding this profession,” he explained.
Baker also reflected on his past struggles with opioid addiction in his 20s, noting how this experience has informed his interest in marginalized communities. He had initially aimed to create a film about this chapter of his life—though he is now clean, he admits to enjoying THC—but the project fell through due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was my exploration of that world, centering on drug user activism in Vancouver, helping me understand an insider’s perspective. These are not bad people; they are individuals caught in the cycle of addiction,” Baker shared.
He pointed out that both sex work and substance use suffer from stigma, particularly in the United States, a situation he finds deeply unjust, especially as most individuals dealing with addiction wish for recovery. Baker reflected that his decade-long battle with heroin kept him behind many of his contemporaries in the film industry. “I’m ten years older than the Safdies, Barry Jenkins, and Chloé Zhao. That’s because I spent ten years battling heroin alone in New York, and I don’t recommend that. It doesn’t contribute positively to filmmaking,” he remarked.
Baker’s work not only highlights the complexities of marginalized lives but also aims to foster a deeper understanding and empathy towards those within them.