CONTEMPORARY TOPICS

Pornographical Minds and the Reactions on the Film Baise moi

Violent reactions against the excellent motion picture Baise moi can be explained if we take into account the uncritical acceptance of the pornographical model of presentation of sexuality and the tendency of (male) critics to prefer the fairytale form of this genre where woman has no rights and serves only as an object to a male subject. Unsubstantiated objections concerning lousy direction and acting, inefficient mixture of drama and pornography arise from an affective reaction to a skilful removal of the limit between high culture and pornographical discourse, and a possible presentation of sexuality on film and society with nonporhographical models.

In Baise moi, men are the objects of pleasure while female characters enjoy freedom. Sex and violence present in this motion picture have been denounced and censored all over the world because they overtly expose the division of power in our society based on the assumption that only male sexual fantasies are legitimate showing material on the silver screen since their legitimacy arises from the financial and political power.

Željka Vukajlović