Sex and power in Romance and Parfait amour! By Catherine Breillat

Abstract

The two films Romance (1999) and Parfait Amour (1996) by the controversial director Catherine Breillat explore themes of desire, violence, expectations, power relations and sexual submission. Both works explore what happens to women when they are not able to live up to the expectations of sexual expression that are usually allowed in our society. By looking at the often uncensored sex scenes and the scenes where intense violence occurs, certain patterns of repetition appear. By breaking from traditional cinematic conventions both works problematise and examine the question of shame and structures of power. By looking at the expressions of sexual agency in the films, we can see in what ways these follow and break away from the expectations of the viewer.