Sneak Peek director Abdellatif Kechiche's "Blue is the Warmest Colour", the graphic novel adaptation, starring Lea Seydoux and Adele Exarchopoulos, winner of this year's Palme d’Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival, to be released in North America October 25, 2013 by Sundance Selects with a dreaded 'NC-17' rating.
The film is based on creator Julie Maroh’s "Le Bleu est un couleur chaude".
"This is a landmark film with two of the best female performances we have ever seen on screen," said Sundance Selects/IFC Films President Jonathan Sehring. "The film is first and foremost a film about love, coming of age and passion. We refuse to compromise Kechiche’s vision by trimming the film for an R rating."
Before an NC-17 rating existed, director John Schlesinger's "Midnight Cowboy", starring John Voight and Dustin Hoffman, was the first 'X-rated' feature ever to win an Academy Award for 'Best Picture' of the year.
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Unfortunately for today's film-makers, mainstream theater chains will not exhibit an NC-17 film, while other venues will restrict admittance only to patrons 17 years and older.
"But," said this year's Cannes jury president Steven Spielberg, "for me the film is a great love story. We were absolutely spellbound by the brilliance of the performances of those two amazing young actresses and all the cast, and especially the way the director observed his players. We just all thought it was a profound love story."
Unfortunately graphic novel creator Maroh instead of lauding the award-winning film, was critical of the sex scenes, saying that the film was shot from a 'male' point of view.
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Blue is the Warmest Colour"...
