The film’s leitmotif may be described by its title, (Clair Obscur features many shots of an obscured camera, crashing waves, and of course, soundtrack cues).

This sense of distortion, this hiding of the fact by using different phrasings I believe helps to obscure the surprising true issue of the film by Yesim Ustaoglu, the film is actually quite subversive. How is it so subversive? Simply that it portrays scenes of happy sexuality and bodily exploration both within a marriage and outside of it, in Turkey.

This may not seem to be something that would need to be Clair Obscur-ed, but we are here now, so we may as well discuss the matter at hand. Oh, the sex scenes are not obscured by any means, as there is a frank depiction of sexuality placed on screen, (as well as deeply met performances by Funda Eryigit and Ecem Uzun). The melodrama in the film may not be as strong as its motive, though the film serves to educate, inform, and present itself honestly and openly.

[star v=35]