The Evanston Cinemark Theatre made chain history this past weekend: for the first time in the company’s record, one of the chain's theaters showed a NC-17 rated film.
Said film is Blue is the Warmest Color, the winner of the coveted Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The French romantic drama, directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, documents the turbulent romance between two young women, Adele (Adele Exarchopolous) and Emma (Lea Seydoux).
Honest and engaging, the film deservedly won the top prize, but controversy followed in the wake of its victory. One of the most notable (and notorious) aspects of the film is the depiction of sex between Adele and Emma. While tastefully done for the most part (one extended sex scene drags on for a comically long time), the scenes are very explicit and they definitely earn that NC-17 rating.
Moreover, both Exarchopolous and Seydoux claimed to have a miserable time shooting the scenes, going so far as to say that they will never work with Kechiche again. Bouts of drama have been flaring between the actresses and the director ever since.
Risque content and bitter arguments have not diminished the public's desire to see the film, however. In an interview with the Evanston Patch, Evanston City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz said that residents have desired more art films.
These wishes seem to have culminated in the release of Blue is the Warmest Color, as Cinemark marketing manager Frank Gonzalez told the Patch, “It just happens to be the right movie at the right time.”
It seems this release is not a reflection of Cinemark policy nationwide however, as Gonzalez called the showing “strictly a one theater test.”
If local response is any indication, Blue is the Warmest Color seems to have successfully passed the test. Northbrook resident Robert Kulasik made the trek to Evanston to see the film. He enjoyed it and challenged the notion that the sex scenes were any way lewd.
“I didn’t find it to be at all erotic,” said Kulasik. “I thought it showed more of the peoples’ characteristics and an older person’s view of a younger person.”
Northwestern students have also taken notice of this art house release. Weinberg sophomore Alina Carrel was glad that the controversial film came to Evanston.
“I really wanted to see this movie, I knew about it awhile before it came out,” Carrel said. “I wouldn’t have had a place to see it otherwise and I think it’s good for a college town.”
Blue is the Warmest Color is currently in theaters, and, even with its nearly three hour running-time, is one of the year’s most essential films.