Sauvage
A young French hustler drifts through street sex work while aching for an intimacy that the transient men around him cannot provide.
Overview
A young hustler navigates the streets, searching for connection in a world that seems indifferent.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- intimate
- raw
- arthouse film night
- lgbtq+ cinema night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Camille Vidal-Naquet's clear-eyed, nonjudgmental treatment of sex work and Félix Maritaud's powerful, heartbreaking performance, while noting occasional longueurs and limited forward momentum.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Léo repeatedly sells his body to passing men, and the film observes the work's rhythms without imposing a conventional redemption narrative.
Léo longs for love while becoming attached to Ahd, another sex worker whose intimacy does not provide the certainty he seeks.
The film combines explicit sexual material with Félix Maritaud's exposed, physically demanding performance as Léo.
Men come and go, Léo remains in the same precarious street economy, and the story foregrounds repetition before his decision to hit the road.
Films like Sauvage, and why
A Fantastic Woman
shared queer drama, sex-work subject matter, intimate realism, and emotionally exposed central performance
Weekend
shared lgbtq+ drama, melancholic longing, and unsentimental treatment of marginalized lives
Stranger by the Lake
shared queer cinema, explicit sexuality, romantic yearning, and raw naturalistic performances
The Girlfriend Experience
shared sex-work drama, social realism, and compassionate focus on precarious intimacy
Movie Details
- Director
- Camille Vidal-Naquet
- Release Date
- 2018-08-29
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (194)
Cast
- Félix Maritaud
- Éric Bernard
- Nicolas Dibla
- Philippe Ohrel
- Marie Seux
- Jean-Pierre Basté
- Lucas Bleger
- Camille Müller
- Philippe Couerre
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Sauvage about?
- A young French hustler drifts through street sex work while aching for an intimacy that the transient men around him cannot provide.
- What is Sauvage like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Sauvage as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Sauvage violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Sauvage as mild.
- What did critics think of Sauvage?
- Critics broadly praised Camille Vidal-Naquet's clear-eyed, nonjudgmental treatment of sex work and Félix Maritaud's powerful, heartbreaking performance, while noting occasional longueurs and limited forward momentum.
- Which films are like Sauvage?
- Films with a similar feel include A Fantastic Woman, Weekend, Stranger by the Lake, and The Girlfriend Experience.
- How long is Sauvage?
- Sauvage runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch Sauvage?
- In United States, Sauvage is available to rent or buy from Fandango At Home.
