Daniel Karlin on Love, Sex, and Censorship in Documentary Film

Daniel Karlin, a French documentary filmmaker known for his collaborations with Tony Lainé, discusses his 2002 film 'Et si on parlait d'amour' and its accompanying book 'On a parlé d'amour (corps et âme)', published by Le Cherche-Midi. The film, which explores non-normative sexual practices, faced harsh criticism from the press, particularly from Télérama and Elle, but found resonance with audiences. Karlin defends his approach of letting subjects speak freely, rejecting accusations of manipulation. He contrasts his work with the porn industry, which he dislikes, and emphasizes his focus on ordinary people, such as the swingers Bernard and Violette, whom he met through the magazine Swing. Karlin reflects on the persistence of taboos, the hypocrisy of moral censorship, and the liberating power of others' sexual freedom, despite his own monogamous life. The film, originally made for television but released in theaters, cost six million francs and is now available on DVD.