BY: Amanda Jane Stern

Is it just us, or have you noticed that foreign films tend to be sexier than their American counterparts? There’s no denying that international cinema is more comfortable showing skin than our domestic films. And who doesn’t love an excellent titillating flick? Below are ten erotically charged foreign films sure to excite.

 

The Night Porter (1974)

This Italian movie by Liliana Cavani is both intensely erotic and unsettling. Set in 1950s Austria, it follows Holocaust survivor Lucia (Charlotte Rampling) and former Nazi officer, now hotel night porter, Max (Dirk Bogarde). After a chance encounter in the hotel in which he works, the two fall back into their sadomasochistic relationship.

 

In the Realm of the Senses (1976)

This French-Japanese film by Nagisa Ōshima caused quite a stir when it came out because of its unsimulated and graphic sex scenes. The movie is a fictionalized account of the relationship between former prostitute-turned-hotel maid Sada Abe (Eiko Matsuda) and her employer Kichizo Ishida (Tatsuya Fuji).

 

Aimée & Jaguar (1999)

In Berlin, in 1943, a romance develops between a Jewish woman, and activist Felice Schragenheim/Jaguar (Maria Schrader) and Lily Wust/Aimée (Juliane Köhler), who is married to a Nazi officer. This Max Färberböck movie was Germany’s 1999 entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards.

 

La Captive (2000)

This French movie by Chantal Akerman follows the relationship between the neurotic Simon (Stanislas Merhar) and the object of his desire/willing captive, Ariane (Sylvie Testud). While Ariane puts up with Simon’s mind games, she also leads a double life outside the home and carries on passionate affairs with other women.

 

A Snake of June (2002)

Without giving too much away, this Japanese drama follows a strange love triangle between Rinko Tatsumi (Asuka Kurosawa), her husband Shigehiko (Yuji Koutari), and Iguchi (Shin’ya Tsukamoto, who also wrote and directed the movie) a blackmailer who sends Rinko explicit photographs of herself.

 

Ma Mère (2004)

This French film by auteur Christophe Honoré is another movie that disturbs as much as it arouses. After his father’s death, 17-year-old Pierre (Louis Garrel) is taken in by his seductive mother, Hélène (Isabelle Huppert), who introduces him to her hedonistic lifestyle. The movie is based on the controversial novel of the same name.

 

Water Lilies (2007)

Before she made Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Céline Sciamma made this stirring tale of sexual awakening. Set during the summer, teenager Marie (Pauline Acquart) would do anything to join the pool’s synchronized swimming team. However, her desire to join the team has more to do with her infatuation with bad girl Floriane (Adèle Haenel) than swimming.

 

I Am Love (2009)

Before he made Call Me By Your Name, Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino made this Tilda Swinton film. It follows Emma (Swinton), a woman who married into a wealthy and powerful Italian family. She finds herself drawn to Antonio (Edoardo Gabbriellini), a chef, who also happens to be her son’s friend.

 

Room in Rome (2010)

In this Spanish movie directed by Julio Medem, two young women, Spaniard Natasha (Natasha Yarovenko) and Russian Alba (Elena Anaya), meet one night while on a Rome holiday. What follows is a night of intense passion set solely in their shared hotel room as the two women get to know each other.

 

A Royal Affair (2012)

This Danish film stars Alicia Vikander as Caroline Mathilde, engaged to marry the ailing King Christian VII of Denmark (Mikkel Følsgaard). She finds herself drawn to Christian’s doctor (Mads Mikkelsen). This Nikolaj Arcel-directed film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 85th Academy Awards.