French Sex: An introduction to French porn

As Olivia has rightfully pointed out in our last article, the idea that the French are masters of eroticism is due to a series of key figures in art history that utilised sexuality and romance to explore topical issues such as female emancipation, desire, or then-forbidden sexual acts of domination and submission. The expectation that France was a sexually liberated country bled into the artform of cinema, as some of the most sexually explicit mainstream films that have come out are generally produced in this country. This has also led ethical porn companies like Dorcel in taking ownership of these age-old stereotypes and clichés that come from such a long and complicated history to create something playful, unique, and, of course, incredibly sexy.

“What is French porn like?”, you may ask. Well, for anyone who is looking for an entry point into this vast and wide ocean of European lust, look no further than French Sex. This 3-hour collection of films is directed by Les Compères, a studio that specializes in something very specific: pornographic comedies featuring women at work. After all, comedies are the most popular film genre in the country, an unshakable part of its heritage, so it only makes sense that the French’s funny bone would be tickled in porn as well, with women in roles of power.

French Sex features a who’s-who of prolific porn performers, like Anna Polina, Cléa Gaultier, and Rico Simmons, who get a chance to don different outfits and roles that poke fun at various stereotypical porn scenarios. The films take full advantage of the variety of locations and absurdist stories that are created: a boudoir photoshoot turns into a foursome, a man electrocuted in a construction site is reawakened with a blowjob, a doctor has to cure a patient who is constantly aroused, and a tourist guide lies about her knowledge in order to seduce the couple she is showing around. These are just some of the colorful sketches that make this compilation a thoroughly enjoyable watch, subverting and repurposing classic films of ‘70s and ‘80s adult cinema.

While many of the scenarios presented here are far from original, that is entirely by design. Thanks to the actor's self-aware performances, there is a clear sense of glee and fun at the start of each segment that makes them instantly endearing to the viewers. The creators know that people are here to have fun and be titillated, so they set up amusingly ridiculous premises that jump straight to the sex after no more than three minutes. Instead of spending much screen time in drawn out moments of seduction, the directors often have the actors look straight into the camera, describing the sexual conundrums they are in (like a pharmacist who wants to see if a man really has a dick big enough to justifyies using a large condom), almost blurring the line between fiction and documentary. It effectively saves time and enhances the underlying, typically French, sexy humor of the films.

If the language barrier may be holding you back from checking this collection out, do not be afraid. A great feature of the Dorcel films is the presence of different dubs for the films, and French Sex has an English translation available. While this level of accessibility is very welcome and seldom found in pornographic productions, nothing beats the sensual, smooth beauty of the French language. By changing the audio, the sharpness of the comedy and the charm of the performers get lost in translation. French eroticism has a specific sense of time and place, perfectly captured by the parks, pharmacies, boucheries (butcher’s shops), and tourist sites featured in this collection, but to remove the original dialogue is to lose the core of what makes these films fun, seductive, and erotic. What better way to learn a new language than by watching high-quality, cinematic, ethical porn on Dorcel?

Featured in the header: French porn star Tiffani Leidi.