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The following podcast contains explicit language.

I'm Stephen McCaffin. This is the Slate Culture Gapfest, Two-thirds French edition. It's Wednesday,

November 6, 2013. On today's show, we discussed

the French film, Blue is the Warmest Color. We discuss not only the film, but the controversy

surrounding it. And then we talk about the French television show, The Return, which is on Sundance.

And finally, we'll discuss a new book about the novelist Philip Roth. That's called Roth Unbound, The Writer in his books. We'll be joined by its author, Claudia Roth, Pierpont. Esteemed co-panelist Julia Turner is out this week. And so joining us this week is, as always, Dana Steven Slate's film critic. Hey, Dana. Hey, Steve. And Slate contributor, June Thomas, June, what do I call you? Not Slate contributor. Something better than that.

I'm a Slate Culture Critic and also editor of Outwood Slate's LGBTQ section. Nailed it. All right, June, welcome to the show. Thank you, Stephen. Okay, well, digging in, blue is the warmest color, is the French film from the director, and I'm sure I'm going to mangle his name, but I'll say it as Abdelatif Kashish.

It tells the story of an adolescent love affair between two women.

Well, unfortunately, due to personal reasons, I was unable to go see a screening of the film.

So at the last minute we went and we reached by the collar, we dragged in Brian louder from the offices of Slate.

Brian, of course, is an editorial assistant at Slate and an assistant editor at Outward. Brian, how heroic, how minchy of you to come in here and fill in at the last minute. Welcome to the show. Thanks. Very happy to be here. So I'm going to cede the microphone pretty quickly here, June. Why don't you go ahead and take over? First of all, I'm just curious what did you think of the movie. And then we'll get into its various qualities and also controversies.

I loved it.

I was a little... here, June, why don't you go ahead and take over? First of all, I'm just curious what you think of the movie, and then we'll get into its various qualities and also controversies.

I loved it. I was a little nervous because I had, which something that Kashis did not want, I had paid attention to all the scandals that preceded it, which I will briefly summarize in a moment. but the movie had much less sex than I imagine, which was not a problem.

You know, coming out of Cannes where it won the palm. in a moment, but the movie was had much less sex than I imagine, which was not a problem.

...