Britflicks' Ivo Bochenski visited the London set of THE RECEPTIONIST where he spoke to director JENNY LU (盧謹明) and cast Teresa Daley (紀培慧), Sophie Gopsill (卓見), Fan Shixuan (范時軒) and Shuang Teng (溫爽).
THE RECEPTIONIST is based on a true story and follows the lives of women whose dreams of a better life in London have been crushed by the harsh reality and seeming cruelty of the world, which has forced them to take up jobs in an illegal message parlour.
The film was inspired by the difficulties faced by the Director and co-writer of this film Jenny Lu, in finding employment during the 2008 economic crisis and the tragic suicide of a friend, who had secretly worked in the sex industry for some time. Under immense financial pressure, selling their bodies can sometimes seem the only option open to these women. At the same time, they are living a double life concealing their predicament and the hardships they face due to the stigma attached to working in the sex industry.
As seen through the eyes of a receptionist working at the massage parlour, the film shows a hidden Britain that we are all too willing to overlook or forget. It also tells a very human story of friendship, of shared experiences and how some are able to live and survive while other will simply fade away under their burdens.
