Words by: Valentine Fabre
Graphic by: Julia David
It is no secret to anyone that Christopher Nolan’s latest feature, Oppenheimer, was released this summer. Amongst the countless opinions, critics, and reviews the film received one of them stemmed from the very short - and non-graphic - sex scene between Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh. Unlucky for the British director, for whom it was actually the first sex scene he had ever directed, the shots were considered “useless” and “irrelevant to the plot”, and sparked vivid debates on social media, specifically by Gen-Zers. Taking a global view on the film industry, the controversy divided users into two categories, some defended that sex scenes were always unnecessary in films, while others saw aesthetic and creative importance in such shots.
However, as much as many older generations would like to believe, Gen-Z are not hiding under the covers, scared of sex scenes. In their distaste lies, on one part, a desire to see more authentic sexual interaction, and on the other hand, the uncontrollable effervescence of sexless (American) blockbusters of which this generation is constantly overwhelmed, has led to a complete shift in the way we consume films.
While exploring the reasons behind such vocal distaste for sex scenes, it became evident that for many, for many, people either wanted better sex scenes or didn’t want them at all. The former stems mainly from a renewed global interest in the female gaze (while sometimes also misunderstood) and the increased visibility of directors from marginalized communities. This means that Gen-Z has the privilege of growing up watching films with a newer, more inclusive vision that isn’t driven by a white male perspective.
When our generation had the chance to discover the subtle sensuality of Portrait of A Young Lady On Fire, why would they ever want to subject themselves to the violence of any of Gaspar Noé’s films? Rationally so, the desire to see sexuality depicted not only more realistically but also less violently is a very reasonable one.
While a shift to healthy sex scenes is necessary, a considerable part of the debate emanates from the idea that sex scenes are essentially unnecessary to the plot. But does that really mean they should be completely obliterated from the film industry? Did we need to see Joaquin Phoenix's unsettling sex scene in Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid? Not really. Did Florence Pugh and Harry Styles’s kitchen scene make the plot move forward in any way in Don’t Worry Darling? Neither. But that shouldn’t mean they did not have their own set of importance. By judging that sex scenes are inherently unimportant to the plot advancement, Gen-Zers take the stance that films should always bring them something.
Movie making includes heavy work on images, dialogues, sound, and writing, and while, yes, there wouldn’t be anything without the slightest of plots, that does not mean that movies are only made to be plot-driven. Films are being consumed as something that should constantly be bringing something to the viewer rather than creating an emotional and sensitive experience.
Evidently, it is quite unlikely that Gen-Z temporarily disapproving of the presence of sex scenes in films will lead to the return of the Hays Codes. However, if there is anything to take from this debate, maybe it is time to prioritize sexuality directed from a perspective different from the homogenous one that has dominated our society for decades.