A desire to be open

posthumanism and countersexuality in Titane (2021) and Crimes of the future (2022)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51951/ti.v15i34.p173-190

Keywords:

Sexuality. Posthumanism. Body horror. Queer theory.

Abstract

This article analyzes the films Titane (Julia Ducourneau 2021) and Crimes of the Future (David Cronenberg 2022) through the Intersection of the posthuman paradigm and queer theory. Our aim is to highlight countersexualities (Preciado 2019) forged by fictional imagination by questioning the status of the human category and its implications for the body and sexuality. We will start with a critical exposition of humanism and the sexopolitical organization it imposes on bodies, adopting queer posthumanism (MacCormack 2016) as a counter-paradigm to this isomorphic structure (Braidotti 2013). Next, we will discuss posthuman sexuality as a countersexual practice that opens the flesh to sexual polyphonies (STAM 1989). Finally, we will approach the movies through three central topics: the relationship between humans and machines mediated by the figure of the cyborg; the association between sex and technology; and the dissociation between sex, genitalia and reproduction.

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Author Biography

Carolina Boschi Monteiro, Universidade de Lisboa

Doutoranda em Estudos Comparatistas no Centro de Estudos Comparatistas (CEComp) da Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa.

References

Referências fílmicas

CRASH. Direção: David Cronenberg. Canadá: Alliance Communications Corporation, 1996. 1 DVD (100 min), son., color. (Obs.: O filme Crash, de Cronenberg, é de 1996, não 1989.)

CRIMES OF THE FUTURE. Direção: David Cronenberg. Canadá: Serendipity Point Films; Téléfilm Canada, 2022. 1 vídeo (107 min), son., color.

DEAD RINGERS. Direção: David Cronenberg. Canadá: Morgan Creek Productions, 1988. 1 DVD (116 min), son., color.

EXISTENZ. Direção: David Cronenberg. Canadá: Alliance Atlantis; Dimension Films, 1999. 1 DVD (97 min), son., color.

GRAVE. Direção: Julia Ducournau. França: Petit Film; Rouge International, 2016. 1 vídeo (99 min), son., color. (Também lançado como Raw em mercados Internacionais.)

SCANNERS. Direção: David Cronenberg. Canadá: Canadian Film Development Corporation; Filmplan International, 1981. 1 DVD (103 min), son., color.

TITANE. Direção: Julia Ducournau. França: Kazak Productions; ARTE France Cinéma, 2021. 1 vídeo (108 min), son., color.

THE FLY. Direção: David Cronenberg. Estados Unidos: Brooksfilms; 20th Century Fox, 1986. 1 DVD (96 min), son., color.

VIDEODROME. Direção: David Cronenberg. Canadá: Canadian Film Development Corporation; Universal Pictures, 1983. 1 DVD (89 min), son., color.


Referências bibliográficas

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SPRINGER, C. The pleasure of the Interface. Em: WOLMARK, J. (Ed.). Cybersexualities: a reader on feminist theory, cyborgs and cyberspace. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1999. p. 34-55.

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Published

2025-08-07

How to Cite

MONTEIRO, Carolina Boschi. A desire to be open: posthumanism and countersexuality in Titane (2021) and Crimes of the future (2022). Travessias Interativas, São Cristóvão-SE, v. 15, n. 34, p. 173–190, 2025. DOI: 10.51951/ti.v15i34.p173-190. Disponível em: https://periodicos.ufs.br/Travessias/article/view/n34p173. Acesso em: 12 jun. 2026.