In the last decade, the Cannes Film Festival, one of the most prestigious cinematographic events in the world, has become zero soil for heated debates on artistic freedom, provocation and ethical borders of cinema. From full -blown strikes to accusations of exploitation, here are Five of the most controversial films 18+ Screeni in Cannes between 2014 and 2024 – each one bold and divisive chapter in the history of contemporary cinema.
1. Mektoub, my love: Intermezzo (2019)
Directed by Abdellatif Kechichewho previously won the Palme d’Or Blue is the hottest color (2013), Interlude It became one of the largest Cannes scandals. The film presented an explicit sex scene, almost 13 minutes in a scarcely illuminated bar, shot not simulated and in a thriving detail.
The members of the public came out halfway to the screening and the critics condemned the film for obscuring the border between art and pornography. Actress Opélie bau He left the premiere and later revealed that the scene was not shown in advance, expressing discomfort and lack of control during filming. Anonymous sources have even accused Kechiche of using alcohol and prolonged shooting times to put pressure on the actors. The film has never been commercially released and a stain remains on the director’s reputation.
2. The house that Jack built (2018)
Lars from Trier He made his controversial return to Cannes with this gruesome story of a serial killer. The film includes graphic scenes of childhood murder, mutilation and even a scene in which human corpses are arranged as works of art. Over 100 people came out of the projection, as reported by The Hollywood journalist.
The reactions were clearly divided: some denounced the film as “disgusting and immoral”, while others praised him as an audience exploration of the banality and aesthetics of evil. Cannes had once again become a battlefield for art and ethics.
3. Blue is the hottest color (2013)
Even if he debuted a year before the 10 -year window, the shocks of settling Blue is the hottest color reverberated a long time later. Celebrated for his rough interpretation of a lesbian relationship, the film also aroused strong criticism for his prolonged and hyper-staggered sex scenes and what many called a perspective “led by the male gaze”.
Leads Léa Seydoux AND Adèle Exarchopoulos Subsequently he described shooting of 6 months as “a nightmare”, citing excessive control of Kechiche, especially during the intimate scenes. The film remains a case of study on how the border between emotional realism and exploitation can escape under the remains of the artistic ambition.
4. Types of kindness (2024)
Fresh from the success of Poor thingsdirector Yorgos Lanthimos Shocked Cannes 2024 with Types of kindnessA triptych of upset stories Emma Stone AND Jesse Plemons.
The film includes intense representations of sex, rape and even cannibalism, more famous a scene in which a woman eats the flesh of her lover as an act of devotion. Critics from The guardian AND The world called him “A portrait of calendar submission”, while others have described it as “Visual and psychological torture.” The audience left the theater disturbed and in conflict, consolidating Lanthimos’ reputation as a non -incussion of comfort.
5. Caligula: the final cut (2023)
The 2023 projection of a restored version of Caligula (1979) He rekindled the debate on the inheritance of the film. Despite the new changes aimed at “artistic refinement”, the updated version has maintained explicit scenes of sex, rape and brutal violence.
Described by Decident AS “A resistance test”, The projection saw the members of the public leave in silence or visibly shocked. The event aroused new discussions: should the restored films remain faithful to their original shock value or adapt to modern ethical standards? Cannes found himself once again at the forefront of the most uncomfortable questions of cinema.
Stay tuned for Part 2With five other films that redefined the borders – and have triggered Fury – on the most glamorous red carpet in the world.
