New Extremity
New Extreme Films (New Extremity or, also often, New French Extremity) describes a range of transgressive films made at the turn of the 21st century that sparked controversy, and provoked significant debate and discussion. They were notable for including graphic images of violence, especially sexual violence and rape, as well as explicit sexual imagery.
| Years active | Late 1990s - present |
|---|---|
| Country | mainly Europe, especially France |
| Major figures | Gaspar Noé, Catherine Breillat, Lars von Trier, Claire Denis, Bruno Dumont, Philippe Grandrieux |
| Influences | European art cinema, Exploitation film |
The films cannot be described as part of a movement or a wave, and the term 'new extreme' was never assumed by filmmakers. The term 'extreme' tends moreover to apply to individual films rather than filmmakers, with many directors only making a single film that might be considered new extreme. Rather, the term 'new extreme' was adopted by critics, scholars, and viewers to describe a cinematic trend for graphic sexual and violent imagery, especially in France but across Europe more generally beginning in the late 1990s.