Gregg Araki Discusses Sexual Repression and Its Impact on Art
WHO:
The Guardian - Gregg Araki, director of the film "I Want Your Sex"
The Guardian - Cooper Hoffman, actor playing Elliot
The Guardian - Olivia Wilde, actress playing Erika
The Guardian - Charli xcx, actress playing Minerva
The Guardian - Johnny Knoxville, actor in the film
The Guardian - Margaret Cho, actress in the film
The Guardian - Mason Gooding, actor playing Zap
WHAT:
The Guardian - "I Want Your Sex" is a film that explores themes of desire, power, and art.
The Guardian - The film is set to open on 700 US screens, marking the director's largest audience to date.
The Guardian - The film features a storyline about a 23-year-old college graduate named Elliot who becomes an assistant to an artist named Erika.
The Guardian - The film includes elements of kink and alternate sexuality.
The Guardian - Araki's film was initially scheduled to shoot after his promotion for "White Bird in a Blizzard."
The Guardian - The film's script was revised after a 2022 study indicated that Gen Z were having less sex than previous generations.
The Guardian - Araki's film aims to open a conversation about sexual experiences among Gen Z.
WHERE:
The Guardian - The film is set in Los Angeles.
The Guardian - The film's premiere took place in Los Angeles.
WHEN:
The Guardian - The film is set to be released in the week of its interview.
WHY:
The Guardian - Araki believes that sexual repression contributes to societal issues, stating, "So much of the hatred, the misery and the aggression and the violence and all the fucking terrible shit in the world right now is from this weird sexual repression."
The Guardian - Araki aims to inject "a little queer joy and positivity into the world" amidst current global issues.
HOW:
The Guardian - Araki flipped traditional sex roles in the film, making it a male submissive and a female dominant.
The Guardian - The film's narrative structure hops back and forth between events before and after Erika's disappearance.
(UPDATED August 1, 2026 13:24 UTC)
Gregg Araki's new film "I Want Your Sex" is set to explore themes of desire, power, and art, featuring a storyline about a 23-year-old college graduate named Elliot who becomes an assistant to an artist named Erika. The film, which includes elements of kink and alternate sexuality, will open on 700 US screens, marking Araki's largest audience to date, and aims to spark conversations about sexual experiences among Gen Z. With a unique narrative structure that flips traditional sex roles, Araki hopes to inject "a little queer joy and positivity into the world" amidst ongoing societal issues.