The release of director Harry Leighton's debut film “Pillion” in Ukrainian cinema once again brings attention to the topic of BDSM in cinema. The plot centers on a shy man who falls into the orbit of a charismatic biker and begins a relationship with him built on power, submission, and desire; the main roles are played by Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgard.
Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling in the movie “Pillion”, 2025
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Here are some films that explore BDSM in different ways: some work closely with themes of intimacy, consent, and trust, while others explore fantasy, psychological tension, and the dark side of attraction. Not all of the films on this list feature healthy BDSM dynamics, but each is important for the conversation about this subculture.
“Daytime Beauty”, 1967
A cult film by Luis Buñuel and a landmark role by Catherine Deneuve. The plot centers on a young married woman who finds no sexual satisfaction in her marriage and becomes increasingly immersed in her own fantasies. Eventually, they lead her to work secretly in a brothel. Belle de Jour is not a BDSM film in the modern sense of the word. It is a subtle and precise film about hidden desires, shame, and a double life.
“The Story of O”, 1975
This is one of the most famous and controversial films about BDSM. The plot centers on a woman named O, who is brought to a castle by her lover, where she undergoes a system of strict rules, rituals, discipline and complete submission. The film is built around the themes of sexual power, control over the body and the erasure of personal boundaries. Today, this film may raise many questions, but its significance is difficult to deny: it was “The Story of O” that formed one of the most recognizable images of BDSM in European cinema.
“The Pianist”, 2001
Michael Haneke's “The Pianist” is also not about BDSM in the literal sense. It is a harsh psychosexual drama about piano teacher Erika Kohut, whose inner world is built on suppressed desire, shame, and masochistic fantasies. When a young student appears in her life, these impulses come out. The film has motifs of submission and pain, but lacks the main thing: consent, spoken boundaries, and safety. That is why “The Pianist” is important not as a story about BDSM, but as a film about desire that gradually destroys a person.
“Secretary”, 2002
One of the most famous films about BDSM. The plot centers on Leigh Holloway, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, who takes a job with lawyer Edward Gray. At first, they are connected only by a working relationship, but later a different dynamic arises between them – with control, submission and pronounced sexual tension. It is important that the film does not reduce BDSM to provocation. On the contrary, it combines the theme of BDSM with humor and romance and convincingly shows why these two are drawn to each other.
“The right to BDSM”, 2009
“The Right to S&M” (SM-Rechter) is a Belgian film based on a true story. The plot centers on a couple going through a crisis in their marriage. When the wife confesses her masochistic fantasies and desire for submission, the husband agrees to explore this side of their relationship with her. Over time, BDSM becomes not only a sexual practice for them, but also a way to regain intimacy. But the couple's private experience turns into a public scandal, and the film shows how public condemnation can destroy even something built on trust and mutual consent.
“Venus in Fur”, 2013
The film “Venus in Fur” is built almost entirely on dialogue, tension and psychological confrontation. At the center of the plot is a director who is casting for a play about dominance and submission. Everything changes when an actress arrives late for the audition and gradually seizes control of the situation. Their interaction quickly turns into a power game in which roles are constantly shifting. This is a film about BDSM not as a practice, but as a psychology of control, role-playing and a changing balance of power between two people.
“The Duke of Burgundy”, 2014
One of the most subtle films about BDSM. The plot centers on two women, Cynthia and Evelyn, whose relationship is based on dominance, submission, and certain rituals. But over time, it becomes clear that one yearns for a deeper immersion in this dynamic, while the other is increasingly tired of the imposed role. This is a precise and delicate film about how BDSM requires not only desire, but also honesty, sensitivity, and constant emotional work.
“Love on a Leash”, 2022
Another realistic BDSM film. The plot centers on two colleagues who accidentally enter into a relationship with a dominant-submissive dynamic. The main character gradually immerses herself in a new experience: she asks questions, learns the rules, and tries out the role of the dominant. The film shows BDSM through consent, agreements, curiosity, and trust, rather than through shock or distorted perceptions.