Cannes, Consent and Craft: An Intimacy Coordinator’s Perspective

Stella Moss
Apr 17
4 min read

By Stella Moss

The Cannes Film festival is esteemed for its ongoing ability to create a hub of bold, artistic and attention-grabbing cinema. At its epicentre, Cannes is a platform known for showcasing boundary-defying work. The festival has frequently platformed work that has sparked conversation due its innovative, audacious and unconventional storytelling.

Cannes is a festival famed for platforming intimate narratives ranging from subtle emotive vignettes to scenes so startling that audience members have walked out (or even fainted).

From the perspective of an intimacy coordinator, audiences and critics alike have continually debated what appears on screen, meanwhile foregoing how those moments were created.

Increasingly, intimacy coordination is subtly underpinning a shift in the screen industries - exactly as intended in the process of the work itself. At a festival renowned for its avant-garde cinema, the question isn’t merely of how far the boundaries of storytelling can go, but how responsibly they can get there.

Blue Is the Warmest Colour (2013) is frequently cited in contexts preceding Intimacy Coordination. The 2013 Palme d’Or winner was widely praised for its raw and vulnerable portrayal of a coming-of-age story of first-love. The conversation regarding the intensity and uncertainty within the intimate scenes created a clear shift in the reception of these moments. Actors Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos described the process, giving people an insight into the power dynamics which could prevail in such intense conditions.

Prior to 2017 there was less of a framework for handling intimate or sensitive scenes; closed sets existed but without specialist protocols, there were no specific neutral parties advocating for boundaries, with less of an emphasis on consent-based practice and often no clear choreography beyond the director’s vision. Stories like this are often anecdotal as to why intimacy coordinators are now becoming standard. Arguably, the prominence surrounding the film and the discussions generated by its platform at Cannes have been notable in the integration of intimacy coordination in screen industries.

Post #MeToo and with the gradual standardisation of the intimacy coordinator (IC) in notable film credits, Cannes is paving the way in showcasing that the inclusion of an IC isn’t to tone things down; it’s to make the process safer and more professional.

Pillion (2025) is a standout example of how bringing an intimacy coordinator on board will not reduce a film’s ability to create both outstanding and unconventional intimacy. Premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival to massive acclaim, earning a remarkable 7-8 minute standing ovation in the Un Certain Regard section. The film had a notably rapturous reception, with particular emphasis for its nuanced, gritty portrayal of queer BDSM. Harry Lighton and Alexander Skarsgård have been at the forefront of singing their praises to intimacy coordinator Robbie Taylor Hunt for his support throughout the filmmaking process, and in aiding the intimacy which underpins the film.

With this in mind, Cannes is also where you can still see how uneven this shift is. Take Anora (2024) and Die My Love (2025) for example, both which sparked controversy when reports suggested an intimacy coordinator had been offered but not used. Die My Love (2025) star Jennifer Lawrence made headlines when asked about her decision not to bring on board an intimacy coordinator for her scenes with co-star Robert Pattinson. The film premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Lawrence’s comment to the Las Culturistas podcast explained that while she might have an IC if discomfort existed, her trust in Pattinson made it unnecessary.

Not dissimilar to this scenario is Anora (2024) the major success story of the 77th Cannes Film Festival in 2024. Whilst a notable piece of work, the film caused a stir for it’s lack of an intimacy coordinator, despite the plot revolving around sex work. Mikey Madison reportedly declined the offer of an IC when brought on board. Whilst every actor is and should be entitled to their own preference, it’s important to consider any of the other actors and supporting artists that weren’t consulted in these decisions. Quite often it isn’t the Number One on the call sheet who is as impacted by the power dynamics on set. These examples go to show that the role of intimacy coordinator is still misunderstood in terms of the support that can be provided throughout the production process.

At this year's 79th annual Cannes Film Festival, there are several films which feature an intimacy coordinator in their credits. One of which includes horror-comedy Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (2026) written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun and featuring the work of Intimacy Coordinator Aryn Mott. The film will have its world premiere at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.

A secondary noteworthy film being featured at this year's festival is The Man I Love (2026), directed by Ira Sachs. The musical fantasy drama includes work of Intimacy Coordinator Marcus Watson. The world premiere will be at the main competition of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.

More and more intimacy coordination is becoming seen as a standard to uphold, rather than a hindrance to creativity. Not dissimilar to the introduction of the stunt coordinator in film, the communication and safety measures surrounding the work have only gone to improve the quality with time.

This is one of many reasons that intimacy coordination matters in the context of Cannes.

One of the most prominent stages in international cinema; films that premiere here don’t just make headlines but they have the opportunity to set the bar for progressive and aspirational filmmaking.