Maîtresse
| Industry | Film production and distribution |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
| Products | Films |
Maîtresse (translated as "mistress" or "teacher" in English) is a French drama from 1975, co-written and directed by Barbet Schroeder. The film stars Bulle Ogier alongside an early prominent performance by Gérard Depardieu. Its explicit portrayal of BDSM led to considerable controversy in both the UK and the US.
Plot
Olivier, an inexperienced man from the countryside, arrives in Paris and takes up door-to-door book selling. He encounters Ariane, an alluring woman whose apartment conceals a professional dominatrix’s dungeon—her place of business. Olivier moves in as her lover, unaware of her formidable independence and resilience. Tensions arise in their relationship due to her involvement with other clients. When a wealthy benefactor of Ariane shuts down her operation and removes her from the scene, Olivier tracks her down; they endure a car accident during a private moment and emerge laughing together.
Cast
- Bulle Ogier as Ariane
- Gérard Depardieu as Olivier
- André Rouyer as Mario
- Nathalie Keryan as Lucienne
- Roland Bertin as man in cage
- as Emile
- Holger Löwenadler as Gautier
Release in the United Kingdom
The film Maîtresse was submitted to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) in 1976. Despite being acknowledged for its quality and lack of exploitation, it was initially denied certification because its extensive fetish content exceeded BBFC guidelines. As a result, it was only screened within private cinema clubs. In 1981, after removing 4 minutes and 47 seconds—including explicit scenes such as Ariane driving nails into a client’s scrotum—the film was granted an 'X' rating for public exhibition. A later submission in 2003 allowed the film to be released uncut with an 18 certificate.
In November 2012, the British Film Institute (BFI) released a Blu-ray/DVD edition, marking the film’s debut on Blu-ray format.
In the United States, the movie received an X rating, while New Zealand classified it as R18 due to sexual violence, graphic sexual content, and strong language.
See also
External links
- Maîtresse – analysis by Elliott Stein at the Criterion Collection