Romance (Romance X) is a 1999 French movie written and directed by Catherine Breillat. It stars Caroline Ducey , pornography actor Rocco Siffredi, Sagamore Stévenin and François Berleand . It contains several sex scenes that appear to have been unsimulated.

Marie is a schoolteacher who is deeply in love with her husband who does not have sex with her. She explores increasingly risky sexual encounters with other men, including a BDSM relationship with a member of staff who works at the same school.

The film claims to be artistic and so may be seen as different from ordinary pornography. It was shown in mainstream cinemas in Europe. In the U.S., the original version is unrated, and an edited version received an R rating. In March 2004, the unedited film was broadcast late at night on German public TV, leading to some protests.

See also

• Sadism and masochism in fiction