The Pornographer (Le Pornographe)

THE PORNOGRAPHER

Jacques Laurent was born in 1950 in Lyon.

In the early 70s, he becomes a professional pornographer...

in other words, he makes pornographic films.

By 1984, he has made over 40 films.

Then he stops.

His last film project was titled "The Animal".

It was about a fox hunt, in which the fox was a young woman.

The last scene was a series of violent and explosive images...

almost entirely abstract.

Jacques was never able to finance it.

- Was it nice? - Very.

Unfortunately, we lost trees in the storm.

- I'd really like a house like this. - It is really nice.

We'd found a run-down castle near by, but castles...

- you don't buy... you inherit them. - Yes.

- Take it if you want. - No.

Pasta?

- And the sauce? - Just olive oil, sauces are too fancy.

- And the tomatoes? - For the salad. Let's be simple.

Yes. Let's be simple.

- Can I help? - No.

- You have to leave tonight? - Jacques works tomorrow.

Unfortunately.

- When are you paid? - 5000 today... and 7000 at the end.

12000...

Well... four days of shooting...

Not enough to pay our debts...

It's ok if you make a few more.

I know.

- Are you worried? - No.

You may as well enjoy it then.

I do have an idea or two though...

Really, it won't be bad...

I may as well enjoy it then.

The guy is on the bed, fully dressed.

He introduces himself, says his name.

He speaks in Russian, we won't translate.

And...

he starts stroking himself, through his pants.

He gets undressed.

A guy jacking off...

no it won't work.

I don't agree, it creates tension.

I'm lost, what's Igor's role?

It's a bit abstract... otherwise, the story holds up.

It's like a tribute to your early films.

Something's missing.

I don't know what but...

Maybe...

Sex scene here.

- With whom? - I don't know.

I was thinking that the film really works...

only if we believe in Victoria's love for Igor.

You're right.

That's the only way to stay aroused 'til the end, right?

Mustn't recognize the house.

Too bad.

For once we had a mansion.

Excuse me. Are you the actress?

- No no, not at all. I do make-up. - Oh... sorry.

Hello.

- Joao. - Jacques.

I'm assistant director.

- Great. I forgot my script. - Here, take mine.

Hello, Xavier.

You're going to chauffeur my daughter to school.

You pick her up.

Take her to her piano lesson and bring her back home.

- What's your name again? - Igor.

You'll see, she's nice.

- Her name's Victoria. She's 16. - Very well mam.

Thank you.

- So you're a gossip columnist? - I suppose so.

I want you to pretend to be my daughter's chauffeur...

drive her everywhere and stay with her...

and take notes and photos...

of everything she does at night so I can turn it into a book.

With pleasure. I love the idea.

Sorry, what is your name again?

You will see Ivan. She is adorable.

Her name is Victoria.

She is 16.

Hello.

I brought two dresses with me, which one do you prefer?

The blue one... or the black one?

The blue one.

And my hair?

- Like that... loose is fine. - Ok.

Excuse me...

no nail polish please.

It makes me want to... throw up.

Please, take it off.

Ok.

I'm almost ready.

I'm coming.

Let's go.

We're down to one man tomorrow.

The plumber will become a fantasy. Mathias'll play both parts.

Good idea.

It's a "budget" idea.

I need to get laid once more... What do you think Igor?

Definitely yes.

And with whom?

You choose, Igor. I'm too tired.

- Can I borrow your thing? - Call you back.

Here.

- How does it work? - Dial the number, then press that.

It won't give me brain cancer?

- Brain what? - Nothing. It's the devil.

Hello Jeanne.

No, nothing really.

Just wanted to hear your voice.

Kisses.

- So they were all naked? - Yes Mam.

I've got no imagination, show me, tell me.

- The boys were touching... - I can't picture it.

I have photos if you really want to see.

So they were naked. Is that right?

Yes mam.

So then show me.

Tell me. I have no imagination.

The boys were touching themselves and...

Stop. I can't picture it.

I took photos if you want to see.

I don't have my glasses. Show me.

As you wish but I should warn you I'm as hard as a rock.

So he enters the room, oblivious.

Obviously... we weren't authorized. And he sees it...

He turns to me, says...

"cool, everyone's fucking everyone here. I'm joining."

He gets undressed. We didn't know who he was...

that he was in the government.

How do you get an idea like the car crash in Perverse Niçoise?

My ideas come to me at night.

I wake up... and bam!

The problem is I fall back asleep and forget everything.

But now I have a notebook to write them down at night.

I see...

I've got bad news.

The last day is canceled.

You'll get half a day's pay. Sorry...

Have a look at the catalogue and choose some penetration scenes.

Reassure me, will you?

You're not shooting crap, right?

- Financial difficulties? - I owe money.

Don't pay.

- Once they smashed my car. - Another reason not to pay.

And Alban?

I haven't seen Alban for ages.

I loved "Schoolgirl hotel". It's a super film.

Yeah, super innovative.

- Maybe not innovative but thank you. - Well, it revived the genre.

The genre...

Where are you going?

- To get the car ready. - Already?

- You're going out tonight, right? - Yes.

- Do you know where? - No, not yet.

- First I take you to your lessons. - Yes, of course.

Has my mother been informed?

Yes.

- And she's ok? - Yes, she's also going out.

- Ok, I'll see you in a minute. - Right away.

Excuse me for being a bit rough earlier.

- Forget it. Besides, I feel ugly today. - No you're not. It's the light.

- It's too harsh. - No it's me.

As a boy, my son always asked me what I did.

Since all fathers do something, I said I made films.

Every year I thought, he's too young. Next year I'll tell him.

And it went on... Every year the same.

And one day he found out... and he left home.

I never saw him again.

I don't think my parents know about me.

We're shooting the final scene with Jenny and Igor.

It's the scene where you are very, very much in love.

- Yeah, the last scene. - The last scene.

We've got to move faster. All he does is drink...

coffee, smoke cigarettes, he's thinking.

Yeah, we'll go faster. What are we filming though?

- Didn't I see a guy with a dress? - Yes.

If we see you coming, we don't have to hear you.

Same for the screams.

Hold back.

Something almost... mechanical.

Don't try and be true or authentic.

Don't try and create emotion...

- Let me handle the emotion. - Ok.

- No. - Why?

- Because. - Ok, keep it then.

By the way...

something else...

for the final blow job, when he's coming...

- you swallow his sperm. - You sure?

- Yes. Not on the face... - Whatever you want.

I want.

- You're very pretty. - Thank you.

It would be beautiful at the end if in the last scene...

we showed a birth.

As though the main relationship in the film...

gave birth to a child.