The 72nd San Sebastian Film Festival opened with Audrey Diwan’s "Emmanuelle." The film had been rejected by Cannes and Venice before finally settling for the splashy San Sebastian opener slot. The reviews turn out to be not good for the film.
I don’t see a single positive review, they’re all pans, coming in from Variety, THR, Screen, IndieWire, Deadline, Little White Lies, DMovies,
This is a real shame since “Emmanuelle” came with some hefty expectations as it’s been a little over three years since Diwan won the Golden Lion at Venice for her abortion drama, “Happening.” At the time of its announcement, it seemed rather odd Diwan would want to delve into the lurid world of softcore porn, especially after winning one of the most prestigious film prizes.
“Emmanuelle” stars Noémie Merlant, Naomi Watts, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Will Sharpe. The film is an adaptation of Emmanuelle Arsan's erotic novel — which was originally made into a series of popular softcore porn movies in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. Merlant plays the titular character — a woman who embarks on numerous sexcapades.