The Le Pornographe (2001)

Jean-Pierre Léaud stars as Jacques Laurent, a former pornographic filmmaker who returns to the industry in this hard-hitting drama from director Bertrand Bonello. Having enjoyed a 20 year hiatus from the industry since the 1980s, Laurent finds that it has changed enormously since his halcyon days. Struggling to recapture his former passion-filled cinematic feasts of erotica, the reluctant director is forced to film hardcore scenes that eschew tender human emotions, and instead concentrate on raw, violent, and explicit sex. Meanwhile, he tries to patch up his relationship with estranged son Joseph (Jérémie Renier), who stopped speaking to his father after learning the nature of his business, but is now supportive of him as he tries to recapture the magic. A thoughtful film that tackles a number of pertinent issues, THE PORNOGRAPHER is a wonderful character study that tugs viewers into its world and doesn't let go until the final credits have rolled.