Call Girl

Love, sex, politics and corruption meet head on in this drama from Portugal. A powerful entrepreneur wants to build an exclusive resort hotel in Villanova, but he discovers the location he has in mind is protected by local land-use regulations. The entrepreneur has been unable to persuade Carlos Meireles, the mayor of Villanova, to negotiate with him, so he comes up with a plan to force the mayor’s hand. The entrepreneur hires Maria, a beautiful and elegant prostitute, to seduce Meireles, leaving him open to blackmail if he won’t give the entrepreneur what he wants. Maria has no trouble twisting Meireles around her finger, but a pair of police detectives, Madeira and Neves get wind of the plan and set out to expose the plot. But once Madeira sees Maria, he realizes she’s the woman he loved and lost some years before, and his feeling for her send him into an emotional tailspin. Call Girl received its North American premiere at the 2008 Montreal World Film Festival.