House of Tolerance

France 2011, 126 mins
Director: Bertrand Bonello
Starring: Jasmine Trinca

Synopsis

Acclaimed French provocateur Bertrand Bonello (THE PORNOGRAPHER) returns with a scintillating glimpse at life in an early 20th-century Parisian bordello.

Eschewing a conventional narrative structure, he crafts an intoxicating tale of sex and fantasy, rendered through a rich cinematographic palette of deep crimsons and silky blacks.

But HOUSE OF TOLERANCE isn't just a highbrow skin flick. Dig deeper and you'll notice undertones pointing to modern society's ills. Yet these hints at allegory never threaten to suffocate what is a profoundly elegant and absorbing drama. Seek out this Palme d'Or nominee and discover a sumptuously multi-layered treasure.