CANNES, France — “Basic Instinct” director Paul Verhoeven, fresh from presenting sexually-charged church satire “Benedetta” in Cannes, said on Saturday he was stunned by what he called increasingly puritanical attitudes towards sex and nudity in movies.
In “Benedetta,” which is competing for awards at the French film festival, Verhoeven depicts the lesbian relationship between two nuns in the 17th century, based on a true story dug up by a historian.
Played by Virginie Efira, Benedetta, whose mystical visions start to upset life within the cloistered walls as well as the church hierarchy, discovers the thrill and power of sex, and the women are shown naked in several scenes.
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Keep on reading: Cannes 2021: ‘Basic Instinct’ filmmaker decries puritanism about sex