In her directorial debut, Sofia Banzhaf (Black Conflux, Splinters) introduces us to a young and unnamed female protagonist (Micaela Robertson), showing us fragments of her journey with sexual exploration. Incredibly stoic throughout the film, she is almost emotionless as she interacts with her three sexual partners (Spencer Macpherson, Daniel Maslany, and Andy McQueen).
In fact, since the film opens on lifeless pigs hanging in the back of a truck, followed by the protagonist cooking a raw piece of meat, Banzhaf seems to insinuate that this is how the lead character views the males that she interacts with. This is an intriguing look at a reversal of the male stereotypes. Instead of presenting a callous male, we see a female who lacks an emotional connection to her sexual partners, and seems to have the “piece of meat” mentality towards them.
Too often, films depict their sexual encounters in very unrealistic ways. The sexual interactions in this film seemed very true to life, bringing with them a more genuine awkwardness and even discomfort, which I appreciated.
Sofia Banzhaf proves herself to be a thought-provoking artist, with her work frequently offering more insight than just what you see on the surface.
To listen to my discussion with Sofia Banzhaf about this film, please click here.
