Sanctuary 2023

imdb-logo 6.3 / 10

Sanctuary

Confined to a claustrophobic hotel room, the heir to a hotel empire and the dominatrix who has primed him for success become locked in a battle of wits and wills as he tries to end his relationship with her.

Confined to a claustrophobic hotel room, the heir to a hotel empire and the dominatrix who has primed him for success become locked in a battle of wits and wills as he tries to end his relationship with her.

Videos & Photos

All 3 Videos & 34 Photos

... Rebecca Marin

... Hal Porterfield

... Hal's Mother

... Younger Phil Porterfield

... Young Hal

... Older Phil Porterfield

User reviews

See All 1 Reviews

04 Aug 2023 by Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots

A dominatrix and her wealthy client engage in the most elaborate power struggle during one night in a luxury hotel suite in “Sanctuary,” director Zachary Wigon’s twisted psychological love story / thriller. The film’s tone is uneven and inconsistent and the direction is lacking, but the two lead performances are terrific. Hal (Christopher Abbott) is the heir to a major company and will soon be taking over as CEO, which means it’s time to cut ties with the longstanding professional relationship he’s had with a dominatrix, Rebecca (Margaret Qualley). When he tries to break it off with an expensive goodbye gift, she’s not having any of it. This leads to a wild night of sexual game playing and psychological torture, as the power shifts and sexual dynamics converge in a tornado of chaos. As a viewer, this constant back and forth makes the film extremely frustrating. By the very definition of her profession, Rebecca is a person who holds and exerts all the power over her client. The twist here is that Hal also has a significant amount of power. They both are master manipulators and can control each other on a whim. This aspect of the film becomes more irritating than compelling, especially when it’s impossible to tell who’s telling the truth at any given time. It’s one big charade. Hal doesn’t think much of himself, as it is made evident in the elaborate, belittling scripts he writes for Rebecca to recite, word for word. She knows he has daddy issues and plays to his weaknesses. His power over her is all about the money. The story loses its edge when Rebecca engages in a bit of blackmail, exposing an unfortunate pettiness from which her character never recovers. There are some sophisticated ideas about gender and capitalism at play, but they’re drowned out by situations that feel like they were solely added to the screenplay to push buttons or at least garner some uncomfortable, cringey laughter. What begins as a feminist-leaning story transforms into one that’s more off-putting and problematic. When a film has a cast of just two actors, they better be strong enough to support the material. Thankfully, that’s not a problem here. These are two complex characters, and Qualley and Abbott skillfully embody them. She plays Rebecca as an unconventional therapist of sorts, and he is believable as a broken man with a poor self image. The dominatrix thriller genre isn’t huge, and “Sanctuary” is well acted and provocative. I found the filmmaking to be amateurish and disappointing however, and this project is unlikely to find a large audience. It’s a festival film and nothing more.

Release Date:

Mar 02, 2023 (France,Russian Federation,United States)

Run Time:

1hr 36`

MMPA Rating:

R

Original Language:

English

Production Countries:

France,Russian Federation,United States

Status:

Released

Related Movies To

Sanctuary

Write Review

Found 1 reviews in total

A dominatrix and her wealthy client engage in the most elaborate power struggle during one night in a luxury hotel suite in “Sanctuary,” director Zachary Wigon’s twisted psychological love story / thriller. The film’s tone is uneven and inconsistent and the direction is lacking, but the two lead performances are terrific. Hal (Christopher Abbott) is the heir to a major company and will soon be taking over as CEO, which means it’s time to cut ties with the longstanding professional relationship he’s had with a dominatrix, Rebecca (Margaret Qualley). When he tries to break it off with an expensive goodbye gift, she’s not having any of it. This leads to a wild night of sexual game playing and psychological torture, as the power shifts and sexual dynamics converge in a tornado of chaos. As a viewer, this constant back and forth makes the film extremely frustrating. By the very definition of her profession, Rebecca is a person who holds and exerts all the power over her client. The twist here is that Hal also has a significant amount of power. They both are master manipulators and can control each other on a whim. This aspect of the film becomes more irritating than compelling, especially when it’s impossible to tell who’s telling the truth at any given time. It’s one big charade. Hal doesn’t think much of himself, as it is made evident in the elaborate, belittling scripts he writes for Rebecca to recite, word for word. She knows he has daddy issues and plays to his weaknesses. His power over her is all about the money. The story loses its edge when Rebecca engages in a bit of blackmail, exposing an unfortunate pettiness from which her character never recovers. There are some sophisticated ideas about gender and capitalism at play, but they’re drowned out by situations that feel like they were solely added to the screenplay to push buttons or at least garner some uncomfortable, cringey laughter. What begins as a feminist-leaning story transforms into one that’s more off-putting and problematic. When a film has a cast of just two actors, they better be strong enough to support the material. Thankfully, that’s not a problem here. These are two complex characters, and Qualley and Abbott skillfully embody them. She plays Rebecca as an unconventional therapist of sorts, and he is believable as a broken man with a poor self image. The dominatrix thriller genre isn’t huge, and “Sanctuary” is well acted and provocative. I found the filmmaking to be amateurish and disappointing however, and this project is unlikely to find a large audience. It’s a festival film and nothing more.

Cast & Crew of

Sanctuary

Directors & Credit Writers

... Second Assistant Director

... Script Supervisor

... First Assistant Director

Cast

... Rebecca Marin

... Hal Porterfield

... Hal's Mother

... Younger Phil Porterfield

... Young Hal

... Older Phil Porterfield

Produced By

... Co-producer

... Line Producer

... Executive Producer

Videos & Photos of

Sanctuary

Videos ( 3)

Photos ( 34 )

Related Movies To

Sanctuary

Found 12 Movies in total

poster-STRAW
STRAW (2025)

0 /10

What will be her last straw? A devastatingly bad day pushes a hardworking single mother to the breaking point — and into a shocking act of desperation.

Run Time: 1hr 45` . MMPA: R . Release: 05 Jun 2025

Director: Derrick Doose , Marcus Wiley , Felix Jordan

Producer: Tony Strickland , Andy Norman , Nadia Brown

Stars: Taraji P. Henson , Sherri Shepherd , Teyana Taylor , Sinbad , Rockmond Dunbar , Ashley Versher

poster-The Accountant²
The Accountant² (2025)

0 /10

When an old acquaintance is murdered, Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly lethal brother, Brax, to help. In partnership with Marybeth Medina, they uncover a deadly conspiracy, becoming targets of a ruthless network of killers who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.

Run Time: 2hr 13` . MMPA: R . Release: 23 Apr 2025

Director: Mariela Comitini , Fernando Chien , Gavin O'Connor

Producer: Matt Damon , Alison Winter , Allen Kupetsky

Stars: Ben Affleck , Jon Bernthal , J.K. Simmons , Cynthia Addai-Robinson , Daniella Pineda , Allison Robertson

poster-The Amateur
The Amateur (2025)

0 /10

After his life is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack, a brilliant but introverted CIA decoder takes matters into his own hands when his supervisors refuse to take action.

Run Time: 2hr 3` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 09 Apr 2025

Director: Svetlana Punte , James Hawes

Producer: Hutch Parker , Jonathan Hook , Dan Wilson

Stars: Rami Malek , Rachel Brosnahan , Caitríona Balfe , Laurence Fishburne , Jon Bernthal , Holt McCallany

poster-Sinners
Sinners (2025)

0 /10

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

Run Time: 2hr 18` . MMPA: R . Release: 16 Apr 2025

Director: Steve Gehrke , Marvin Williams , Amir R. Khan

Producer: Ryan Coogler , Kirby Adams , Francine Maisler

Stars: Michael B. Jordan , Jack O'Connell , Delroy Lindo , Jayme Lawson , Wunmi Mosaku , Hailee Steinfeld

poster-Clown in a Cornfield
Clown in a Cornfield (2025)

0 /10

Quinn and her father have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs hoping for a fresh start. Instead, she discovers a fractured community that has fallen on hard times after the treasured Baypen Corn Syrup Factory burned down. As the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over, a sinister, grinning figure emerges from the cornfields to cleanse the town of its burdens, one bloody victim at a time.

Run Time: 1hr 36` . MMPA: R . Release: 08 May 2025

Director: Douglas Mitchell , Puneet Chawla , Eli Craig

Producer: Wyck Godfrey , Neil Mathieson , Paris Kasidokostas Latsis

Stars: Aaron Abrams , Katie Douglas , Carson MacCormac , Cassandra Potenza , Verity Marks , Bradley Sawatzky

poster-Ballerina
Ballerina (2025)

0 /10

Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Eve Macarro begins her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.

Run Time: 2hr 5` . MMPA: R . Release: 04 Jun 2025

Director: Darrin Prescott , Matej Kricner , Len Wiseman

Producer: Chad Stahelski , John R. Saunders , Kevan Van Thompson

Stars: Ana de Armas , Ian McShane , Anjelica Huston , Norman Reedus , Keanu Reeves , Lance Reddick

poster-Out of Exile
Out of Exile (2023)

0 /10

Recently paroled thief Gabriel Russell tries to balance his life and mend a troubled family as an FBI agent hunts him down, along with his crew after a botched armored car robbery.

Run Time: 1hr 47` . MMPA: R . Release: 20 Jan 2023

Director: Kyle Kauwika Harris

Producer: Marcus Cox , Jacob Snovel , Karrie Cox

Stars: Adam Hampton , Karrie Cox , Kyle Jacob Henry , Ryan Merriman , Peter Greene , Hayley McFarland

poster-Shadow Force
Shadow Force (2025)

0 /10

Kyrah and Isaac were once the leaders of a multinational special forces group called Shadow Force. They broke the rules by falling in love, and in order to protect their son, they go underground. With a large bounty on their heads, and the vengeful Shadow Force hot on their trail, one family's fight becomes all-out war.

Run Time: 1hr 43` . MMPA: R . Release: 01 May 2025

Director: Tim Trella , David Pombo , Jayson Merrill

Producer: Karen Ramirez , Carolina Cardenas Sepulveda , Stephen "Dr" Love

Stars: Mark Strong , Kerry Washington , Omar Sy , Da'Vine Joy Randolph , Method Man , Ed Quinn

poster-Crypto Legacy
Crypto Legacy (2020)

2.5 /10

Troy Morgan doesn't like his family's farm. The place creeps him out. After spotting some strange lights one evening, Troy and his little sister Carrie go to investigate the creepy barn.

Run Time: 1hr 11` . MMPA: . Release: 01 Oct 2020

Director: Charles Townsend

Producer: Charles Townsend

Stars: Sheri Gill Dixon , Brian Kunz , Brandon Young , Nathaniel Barton , Linzi Gray , Thalia Reynolds

poster-A Working Man
A Working Man (2025)

0 /10

Levon Cade left behind a decorated military career in the black ops to live a simple life working construction. But when his boss's daughter, who is like family to him, is taken by human traffickers, his search to bring her home uncovers a world of corruption far greater than he ever could have imagined.

Run Time: 1hr 56` . MMPA: R . Release: 26 Mar 2025

Director: Eddie J. Fernandez , Jack Fontaine , Emily Richardson

Producer: Sylvester Stallone , Kevin King Templeton , Kevin King

Stars: Jason Statham , David Harbour , Michael Peña , Jason Flemyng , Arianna Rivas , Noemi Gonzalez

poster-Conjuring the Cult
Conjuring the Cult (2024)

0 /10

After discovering his blood-soaked daughter dead in the bathtub, David Bryson attends a self-help group to help save him from his ghostly nightmares. But when a group of mysterious cult-like women offer to help him resurrect his daughter. David's choices will not just decide his fate... but the fate of his dead daughter's SOUL.

Run Time: 1hr 33` . MMPA: . Release: 01 Oct 2024

Director: Calvin Morie McCarthy

Producer:

Stars: Neil Green , Elissa Dowling , Chynna Rae Shurts , BJ Mezek , Jason Brooks , Brad Littlefield

poster-Remnant
Remnant (2024)

0 /10

Grace is a young woman whose life has been turned upside down by tragedy. When she returns home to the family farm to rebuild her shattered life, her world begins to unravel as a series of strange events haunt her, pushing Grace to the edge of madness. A mysterious figure lurks in the shadows and a ghostly woman appears in the darkness of night. Is Grace imagining these apparitions, or are they a warning of a nightmare still to come?

Run Time: 1hr 52` . MMPA: . Release: 30 Jun 2024

Director: Mike Horan

Producer:

Stars: Nicole Pritchard , Shaun Robert Foley , Tsu Shan Chambers , Remi Webster , Megan Bell , Martin Ashley Jones