The Pornographer (2001)

The Pornographer • Le pornographe (2001)

Genre: Drama
Director: Bertrand Bonello
Starring: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Jérémie Renier, Dominique Blanc
Language: French
Duration: 108 min.
Rating: 5.8  

Summary:

Jacques made a string of successful pornographic films in the 1970's but had put that career aside for 20 years.  Now older and paunchier but also broke, he is forced to return to directing again.  However Jacques's artistry clashes with his financially-troubled producer's sensibilities.

The Pornographer is a film written and directed by French filmmaker Bertrand Bonello. It premiered in the Critics' Week section of the 2001 Cannes Film Festival, winning the FIPRESCI Prize for the sensitivity it shows in its portrayal of a delicate subject and for Jean-Pierre Léaud's performance.

Léaud plays Jacques Laurent, an aging former adult film director who faces financial difficulties and is forced to return to work to make ends meet.  He discovered that things have changed and that his artistic style of directing is no longer accepted in the current industry.  He then begins to reflect on his life and attempts to repair his relationship with his estranged son Joseph (Jérémie Renier).

This one is notable only for one scene that shows the shooting of a hard core film where nothing is left to the imagination.  The rest of the film is flimsy and falls under the weight of a rather mundane screenplay that achieves very little and an uninteresting lead character in serious need of a haircut.

— Bonjour Tristesse