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Deep Dive: Female Pleasure (2018)

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Female Pleasure
Female Pleasure is a 2018 documentary directed by Barbara Miller that examines female sexuality across different cultures in the 21st century. The film features five women from diverse backgrounds who confront the repression of female sexuality within their cultural and religious contexts. Each woman's story is unique, yet they share a common struggle for self-determined sexuality. The film includes the experiences of Deborah Feldman, who left the Hasidic community in New York City, and Leyla Hussein, a Somali psychotherapist who advocates against female genital mutilation. The documentary also presents the work of Japanese manga artist Rokudenashiko, who faced multiple arrests for her art depicting female genitalia, and Doris Reisinger, a former nun who publicly addressed abuse in a spiritual community. Vithika Yadav, a sex education publisher in Delhi, rounds out the group. The film emphasizes the importance of these women's voices in the ongoing fight for sexual liberation and equality.

Why Watch

  • •Meet Leyla Hussein, a fighter against genital mutilation.
  • •Follow Deborah Feldman's escape from the Hasidic community.
  • •See Rokudenashiko's controversial art on female genitalia.

Did You Know

•The film premiered on August 5, 2018, at the International Film Festival Locarno.
•In Switzerland, it had the biggest box office of all Swiss documentaries in 2018.
•Deborah Feldman is a former member of the New York City Hasidic community.
•Leyla Hussein underwent genital mutilation as a child.
•The film won the Amnesty International Award at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival in 2019.

Perfect For

Feminism and activismCultural studiesSex education