'Vapid' sex film Mektoub My Love: Intermezzo prompts walk-outs in Cannes
Six years after he caused a stir with Blue is the Warmest Colour, Abdellatif Kechiche has debuted a new controversial film at Cannes.
Mektoub, My Love: Intermezzo, another coming-of-age story, is the sequel to Mektoub, My Love: Canto Uno, which premiered at the festival in 2017.
Kechiche’s new release includes a lengthy, graphic love-making scene, where what appears to be un-simulated oral sex is performed upon Ophélie, played by Ophélie Bau.
The scene, which occurs about two-thirds of the way through the three and a half hour film, reportedly prompted many audience members to walk out of the movie theatre.
It is unclear whether prudishness, squeamishness or sheer boredom drove people from their seats. The film has received negative reviews from critics. The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin gave it just one star.
I’ve witnessed the worst film in competition by miles, and its name is MEKTOUB. Like Louis CK’s leaked standup, Kechiche takes every valid complaint lobbed at BitWC and quadruples down: contemptible, male gazing garbage. Here’s the skeleton crew that didn’t walk out. #Cannes2019pic.twitter.com/jQ43BwxLQ7
— Stephen Miller (@sdavidmiller) May 23, 2019
The film has been called a “bum trip”, with Kechiche focusing extensively, and some have said lasciviously, on women’s bottoms. Film critic Joshua Rothkopf tweeted: “MEKTOUB, MY LOVE is Kechiche’s JERSEY SHORE: endless vapid scenes of flirting and dancing in bars. Camera is a constant tush ogler.” IndieWire’s David Ehrlich was equally critical.
MEKTOUB MY LOVE: INTERMEZZO: the director of Blue Is the Warmest Color made a 4-hour movie about butts. it's the same length as Lawrence of Arabia, and literally 60% of the movie is close-ups of butts. i had a mild psychotic break at one point
my review https://t.co/L0BorrnUFDpic.twitter.com/mYsTsOKdj9— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) May 23, 2019
The Cannes Film Festival ends tomorrow on May 25.
