Euro Beat: Is It Art Or Porn? France Re-Opens The Debate

For the first time in many years (at least since 2000's Baise-Moi), sex in cinema has become a point of controversy in France. That's thanks in large part to the fact that the two most critically acclaimed films to come out of Cannes this year, Palme d'Or winner Blue is the Warmest Color and and the explicit, gay riff on Bresson and Hitchcock, Stranger by the Lake, both feature a heavy dose of unsimulated sex.  

And so, the debate about the difference between art and pornography has reared its head again, and will surely continue through the next several months leading up to the release of Blue is the Warmest Color. French newspaper Le Monde got the jump on the subject, racing out the gate with a recent article titled, "Sex isn't just Porno."

The article mostly features quotes from various filmmakers and scholars aiming to actually define the difference between pornography and art. As usual with the French, no definitive conclusions are reached. But let's take a look at a few highlight quotes anyway!
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