Czech director Barbora Chalupová peers into the growing world of OnlyFans, following three entrepreneurial women over the course of a year as they navigate the gig economy and build careers as creators of sexual content—each of them searching for income and independence. The women allow Chalupová remarkable access to their daily lives, which are portrayed in unfiltered, shocking detail. Viewers witness not only the crafted confidence they need to sell their virtual companionship but also the emotional toll of commodified relationships. Behind these women’s performative masks lurks their own craving for validation, self-worth and relationship. The film also reveals the insecurities of the men participating in this digital exchange, further exposing the unsettling and absurd dynamics of desire, control and attention. Dark, honest and piercing, Virtual Girlfriends is a meditation on social media, technology and the cost of connection in a monetized, virtual age. Simone Estrin