Tiziana Cantone Suicide and 'Le Ragazze del Porno' Film Screening Spark Debate on Sexuality in Italy

The article draws a parallel between two events that occurred in Italy in September 2016: the suicide of Tiziana Cantone, a woman whose private sex videos were leaked online, and the screening of two short films by the collective Le Ragazze del Porno at the Milano Film Festival. The collective, comprising female directors aged 25 to 75, aims to create feminist porn-erotic cinema. The films screened were Queen Kong by Monica Stambrini, featuring porn star Valentina Nappi, and Insight by Lidia Ravviso, starring performer Slavina. The event was sold out, with hundreds in attendance. During the post-screening discussion, some audience members admitted to arousal, though the directors stated their primary goal was to reclaim the language of pornography for the female gaze. The collective has faced criticism from the Curia at the Pesaro Film Festival, as well as from feminists and the film and television industry. The author reflects on the societal hypocrisy: while pornography is widely consumed, women's sexual agency is still stigmatized. Cantone's case exemplifies this, as her videos were viewed by thousands after being shared without her consent, leading to public shaming. The article concludes with a quote from philosopher Franco Bolelli, who calls for liberating sex from stereotypes and the binary of sin versus low-grade freedom.