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A shy, world-weary accountant at a health club takes the advice of his employer to have a massage to relieve tension. The man, white and married, begins regular sessions with a taciturn black masseur, and a sadomasochistic relationship quickly develops between the two men. The accountant’s self-revelatory discovery of masochistic pleasure draws him ever more deeply into a world of pain and humiliation, inflicted in an atmosphere of sinister ritual and silent desire. Shot in black-and-white this understated and compelling film offers an oblique look at the cruel complexities of male relationships. Winner of the Camera d’Or at the 1986 Cannes film festival for best first feature, Devers’ film is based on the short story “Desire and the Black Masseur” by Tennessee Williams. Cast includes Francis Frappat, Jacques Martial, Josephine Fresson and Marc Berman. Written by Claire Devers. Photography by Daniel Desbois, Christopher Doyle, Alain Lasfargues and Jean-Paul de Costa. In French with English subtitles.
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How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
316979
Languages
English
French
Audience classification
R (18+)
Subject categories
Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Foreign language films
Family, Gender Identity, Relationships & Sexuality → Masochism
Family, Gender Identity, Relationships & Sexuality → Sadism
Feature films → Feature films - France
Food, Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, Psychology & Safety → Masochism
Food, Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, Psychology & Safety → Sadism
Literature → American literature - Film and video adaptations
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Black and White
Holdings
VHS; Access Print (Section 1)