Examining sex and climaxes in Blue is the Warmest Colour and Carol

Abstract

This essay uses the films Blue is the Warmest Colour (Kechiche, 2013), and Carol (Haynes, 2015) to examine the challenges and questions which arise when a male filmmaker directs a film with a queer female relationship at its centre. Whenever a male creator has authorial power over queer female subjects their authenticity comes into question. This is especially notable in the critical response to Blue is the Warmest Colour’s explicit sex scenes.

Carol , however, was seen as a more authentic representation as it does not eroticise its characters to the same extent. This essay uses textual analysis of the films’ climaxes and sex scenes to contrast the way in which the two relationships are represented. It also draws on feminist film scholarship.

Through this, it becomes clear that it is possible for a male filmmaker to represent queer female relationships in a way which can be perceived as authentic. However, a film’s sex scene will inevitably be read in the context of the filmmaker’s gender and sexuality.