When Women Dare to Touch

In Olivier Assayas’ latest film, [Boarding Gate], Asia Argento fingers herself. But don’t be alarmed, we’re in the middle of a Renaissance of female masturbation scenes in independent films. There’s plenty of boy wanking as well, but it’s the recent resurgence in realistically portraying female pleasure that seems to get most of the notice. In case you’ve forgotten, here’s a roundup of some of the most memorable of the past few years.

Naomi Watts in Mulholland Drive Perhaps one of the most riveting masturbation scenes ever filmed. [Naomi Watts begins] to create friction and the camera begins to vibrate so that it appears as if we’re seeing the world through her blurred and pre-orgasmic point of view.

Nicole Kidman in [Margot at the Wedding] After we watched her sit on the toilet in Eyes Wide Shut, it seemed the blond ice queen had decided to leave her intimate moments in some private chalet in an obscure East European village. But then in Noah Baumbach’s nearly unwatchable art film, Ms. Kidman lays on her stomach and pokes at herself in the dark. It’s one of the most desperate and sad moments in an already dreary dud of a flick.

Amira Casar in Anatomy of Hell A very difficult film to watch, [Catherine Breillat]’s feminist exploration of sexuality takes place in a woman’s bed after she invites a gay man to come over to watch her. Casar is beautiful but to have such fixed attention on her vagina can get real creepy real fast. It’s an anatomy lesson for sure.

Maggie Gyllenhaal in Secretary Gyllenhaal is so charming, her kooky fetishes and fascination with James Spader don’t come across as pervy as all. It’s not explicit in depicting female masturbation (Spader does his deed on her exposed backside), but it gets hinted at plenty of times.

Margo Stilley in 9 Songs It almost seems silly to include Michael Winterbottom’s quasi-porn. Sure, there’s good lighting, but all we get in this film is an American girl and horse hung Kieran O’Brien getting it on with full (real) penetration and plenty of other kinky bits. Oh, and it's interspliced with scenes from the two going to rock concerts. Don’t remember the self-pleasure? That’s cuz you were too busy freeze-framing her riding his stuff.

[Here’s a site] that has rated more recent films on their female fingering.

Photo from Boarding Gate courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.