The Dilemma of Desire

If nothing else, Maria Finitzo’s alternately very funny and intensely informational The Dilemma of Desire will instill a brand new vocab word in its viewers’ minds: “cliteracy.” Following the unique stories of four bold women — including artist Sophia Wallace (the creator of “cliteracy”), Dr. Stacey Dutton (intent on pushing the publishing industry to stop leaving out vital parts of female anatomy in its textbooks), Dr. Lisa Diamond (dedicated to reframing ideas about female arousal), and Ti Chang (the head of a company that builds “elegant” vibrators) — Finitzo’s film takes a thrilling look at female bodies.

What the filmmaker and her subjects ultimately find goes beyond just questions of art, science, and representation (like that’s not already enough), offering a full spectrum look at how ignoring anatomy feeds into all corners of existence. By its end, good luck not being suddenly, immensely cliterate.

"Well-versed in the ways of humanist, character-centric documentary filmmaking with a strong social-issues flavor (5 Girls, With No Direction Home, In the Game), Finitzo braids together the stories of several women here with deft assistance from editor Liz Kaar."

"In The Dilemma of Desire, Finitzo channels the energy of that conversation into a brisk, entertaining and edifying cultural history of the clitoris, making the convincing case that its absence in the public discourse, woefully underrepresented, if at all, in scientific research studies in relation to its male counterpart and largely made to feel as if it’s too private to talk about, has stymied the progress towards achieving full equality for women." 

"What I loved about this documentary was that it really holds nothing back. When it comes to female pleasure, there’s always more knowledge that we can learn. And hopefully, anyone reading this gets a chance to see this film because it’s an amazing insight on both pleasures and knowledge. It shines the light on how vital sexual education is with the proper information and emphasizes the importance of both men and women. The clitoris isn’t a dangerous thing to talk about. And it never should be."

"In the deeply engrossing new documentary The Dilemma of Desire...director Maria Finitzo (Those Left Behind) examines how little we know – and how much we need to know – about the clitoris and beyond. With a captivating cast of talking-head interview subjects, Finitzo creates a comprehensive overview of the erotic world of women that dispels all preconceptions and false notions. Desire is not the dilemma; male dominance and supremacy are...The Dilemma of Desire is a marvel, fierce in its focus to rewrite the rules of behavior for all to follow. Begone, O Phallusy! The age of Cliteracy is upon us."

"I really enjoyed The Dilemma of Desire, unable to shake many of its messages and moments of enlightenment. It is a fascinating exploration in female sexuality and everything it encompasses. I found myself rewinding...shock and curiosity driving me to make sure I did not miss a beat. It is an eye-opening and a vital informational showcase for everyone today, yesterday and tomorrow."

“The Dilemma of Desire is mostly a profile piece, bouncing between subjects invested in the cause of how we talk about female sexuality. It’s well-constructed, and the interviews strike a nice balance between being thought-provoking and entertaining. Again, this is a film that will almost certainly produce wonderfully informative and revealing Q&A events, and I regret that these couldn’t have started in a town as progressive as Austin. It’s a movie designed to get people talking. Let’s hope that conversation is allowed to start soon."

"The Dilemma of Desire begins a conversation. A conversation which is vital and up until recently has not been happening. Women have been forced into silence. Only now do we feel strong enough in enough numbers to bring this to the table. Male sexuality has always been a given. Attention and space has been allotted to it whereas female desire has been ignored and, even more aggressively, silenced. Finitzo’s film is empowering."

"The Dilemma of Desire is an unabashed celebration of women’s sexuality...[the film] will empower women to embrace their sexuality and that is a beautiful thing."

"Sex positivity is more of a force than ever in the cultural conversation, yet the traditional, reductive myth about sexuality still endures: men like sex, women don’t. When it comes to sex, women are the objects, not the subjects. Maria Finitzo’s new doc calls bullshit on the old order — which was never based on any kind of truth — and calls for a revolution. Gender equality must extend to every part of life, including the bedroom."