Sex, lies and confessions

SYNOPSIS:

The scandalous best-seller which brought fame and severe polemics to its author! With 4 million copies sold, why did it divided the Jewish community and American literature alike ? This documentary looks back at the controversy and analyzes how Philip Roth offers a complex and profound exploration of the human psyche.

Through the literary scandal and narrative power of Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth, this documentary explores a bold work that disrupted its time by blending humor, provocation, and introspection. Delving into the tormented mind of Alexander Portnoy, a young man grappling with his impulses and the constraints of a strict Jewish upbringing, the film highlights how Roth redefined the sexual and cultural taboos of the 1960s. Amid accusations of misogyny, pornography, and antisemitism, this story becomes a mirror of human contradictions and societal evolution. Featuring contemporary analyses and passionate testimonies, this documentary revisits a provocative work to reveal its modernity while posing an essential question: what place would Portnoy have in today’s society?

INFO:

Theme: Culture
Format: 52′
Original title: Sex, lies and confessions
Director: Olivia Mokiejewski
Streamer: Arte
Language: FR
Year of production: 2025
Produced by: Les Batelières