Bad Reputation review – powerful look at sex workers’ fight for dignity on the Uruguayan streets

A sex worker and activist living in Uruguay, Karina Núñez is a force of nature. The charismatic subject of Marta García and Sol Infante’s galvanising documentary, she is introduced by way of a somewhat provocative image: a closeup of her chest, tucked behind a lacy brassiere. The shot, however, is far from objectifying: Núñez is fully in control, and her breasts are simply a tool of her trade. This opening scene expands to take in a road intersection at night, where she is hoping to find her next customer among the stream of cars that passes by.

Núñez might be standing by herself at a crossroads, in a framing that suggests the precariousness of her occupation, yet she is far from alone. As the founder and leader of Otras, a union for Uruguayan sex workers, she has rallied a dedicated community around the fight for social acceptance, better labour conditions and legal protection. Swerving sensationalism, García and Infante’s film does not focus on individual customers, foregrounding instead the everyday struggles faced by the sex workers themselves. In moving scenes, Núñez speaks of the dismissive treatment she receives at a health clinic, as well as her difficulty in transitioning to another line of work. In the eyes of the law and society, she and her fellow workers are merely as faceless statistics or cautionary tales, rather than human beings with rights and dignity.

Much of the film revolves around the organising efforts of Núñez and fellow union members, which range from weekly meetings and mutual food aid to photography campaigns and television appearances. More than a portrait of one woman, this is a beautiful celebration of a whole community, one that dares to fight for a better future against overwhelming odds.