Erotic body horror: dangerous female corporealities in contemporary French cinema

Current trends in popular visual culture are oppressively restrictive in their representations of female corporeality and expressions of sexuality. This thesis looks at a number of contemporary French films that rupture the typically clean and glossy veneer that women's bodies have traditionally had in the cinema. Anatomy of Hell (2004), In My Skin (2002) and Trouble Every Day (2001) all showcase unruly carnalities that encourage a feminist re-thinking of the female grotesque as a potential site of protest and empowerment. Through a close analysis of the films and their reception, I argue that they have significant political implications, especially with regards to the relationships women have with their bodies. By disrupting ideals of femininity and bodily containment, and encouraging the expression of desire that exists outside the dominant (male) visual economy, erotic body horror creates a radical space that prompts new ways of thinking about female corporeality