If we intend this tribute to the caress to be enjoyable, we also intend it to be gratifying. And without a doubt, the most emblematic film in this panorama is Ela na sou po Listen⦠by the Greek filmmaker Katerina Filiotou. Like Sofia in the film, full of spontaneity, joy, and exultant happiness, we wanted to offer you films where the vital force of desire is accompanied by laughter or, at the very least, jubilation.
Sofia, the director, and the film aroused enthusiasm in amongst the Clermont-Ferrand public and the international jury, who ended up awarding her their Grand Prix. Without question, the answer is yes. Let us not forget that the history of art offers us a broad sample of erotic works, from Japanese prints also called shunga , spring images, or pillow images that appear towards the end of the seventeenth century to the sensual sculptures of Aristide Maillol In its own way, animation cinema knows how to address this theme.
While making us laugh, she narrates her heroine, a year-old housewife who, on her birthday, enjoys an evening of fun with her girlfriends at a male striptease show. If the theme is about sexual pleasure, it is another kind of pleasure for us to discover and program filmmakers who have barely emerged into cinematic notoriety. A surprise is in store for you! Today, a recognized figure in French cinema, he has more than twenty feature films to his name.
Four of his short films competed in Clermont between and In , the jury awarded him an honorable mention for the entirety of his short films. A Summer Dress , in which we witness unbridled sexual freedom, develops the themes of sexuality and ambivalence, which are amongst his favorite themes.
Over a span of twenty years, Blandine Lenoir has directed ten short films and three feature films including Angry Annie, released in Five of her films competed in Clermont between and She walked away with three awards, two in and one in , the Best Actress award for her film Rosa , just to remind us that she also knows how to act. She was a member of our national jury in Her filmography constantly questions the condition of being a woman and, particularly, female sexuality from the 20th century to today.
