22/09/2006

Although the usual sex topics spread in the media during the summer should be over by now, sex and eroticism are making the headlines this week with two wholly opposite European films opening today in the UK: the UK mockumentary Rabbit Fever by Ian Denyer and the episodic film Eros by a trio of master filmmakers, Wong Kar Wai, Steven Soderbergh and Michelangelo Antonioni.

Released in 20 cinemas by Maiden Voyage Pictures, the independent Rabbit Fever was written and produced by Stephen Raphael (son of Oscar-winning scriptwriter Frederic Raphael) and directed by BAFTA-winning documentary filmmaker Denyer.

The film follows the trials and tribulations of a group of women who regularly attend Rabbits Anonymous, where they attempt to beat their addiction to the Rabbit – the best-selling, most satisfying vibrator in the world! One of the selling points of the film are cameos by a handful of celebrities, including Richard Branson and Tom Conti, and the film’s tagline is: "More vibrators are sold in Britain each year than washing machines and dryers combined!"

Eros, on the other hand, is a more “traditional” offering for followers of true auteur films, platformed by Artificial Eye in one prestigious West End cinema (Curzon Mayfair) on London. The anthology of three medium length films on the subject of eroticism and love was presented in official selection in Venice 2004.

The film is a French/Italian/Luxembourg co-production between Solaris, Roissy Films, Cité Film Production, Fandango and Delux.

Six other films are opening today, including Alfonso Cuarón’s sci-fi Children of Men, released by UIP, and Dirty Sanchez,a comedy by first-time director Jim Hickey, based on the highest rated show on the MTV network. The film was produced by Vertigo Films in the UK with MTV Films Europe Production. Pathé Distribution is releasing it on 208 screens.