Supersex

What’s it about?

We go into a bit more detail about this show than we usually do, but this is because of the nature of the series and the impact it may have on viewers.

Supersex is an Italian biographical drama mini-series loosely inspired by the life of the infamous and controversial Italian pornstar and director Rocco Siffredi. Played by Alessandro Borghi the story bounces back and forth between 2004 and the past, beginning with his childhood in Italy.

The facts

• Writer and director: Francesca Manieri
• Language: Italian
• Runtime: Seven-part mini-series

Why did it get this rating?

This film was self-rated by Netflix. You can find out more about self-rating by streaming providers here.

Sex

The series contains detailed and frequent sexual scenes. Scenes in Rocco’s personal life as well as on porn sets are shown. The sex scenes often involve full frontal male and female nudity.

There are multiple sex scenes including public masturbation over a table at a restaurant, oral sex, sex with multiple partners and rough sex.

Sexual violence

There are multiple references to sexual violence against women. Women are often described in demeaning and dehumanising ways with multiple references to women being ‘flesh’. Rocco tells one sexual partner that to gain consent he “reads her eyes”.

Rocco is also described as “a violent man, he hurts people” and “an animal”. When he is asked to be more gentle he replies with “This is how I have sex”. The narrative throughout is that sex is power and control, with Rocco likening himself to a bull, with a scene flicking from him having sex with a prostitute to bulls having sex.

Cruelty

A scene from Rocco’s childhood describes how his penis was stretched in an attack by the local neighbourhood boys. This causes prolonged pain to Rocco, with scenes seen in the present day of him icing his genitals. It doesn’t however cause his penis to enlarge despite his brother referring to him as “Rocco, the biggest d*ck in the world”.

Violence

Violence is shown throughout this series. The most impactful scene is in episode 5, ‘The Island’, where Rocco’s brother is stabbed in the hand and multiple times in the stomach.

Offensive language

Offensive language is prevalent, including in the context of sex, with multiple references to “p*ssy”, and “c*ck”, with the most impactful language being the slur “f***ot”.

Crime

Rocco’s brother Tommaso is shown to be laundering money and pimping his wife out for sex work in France. Neither of these are glamourised or promoted.

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?
• For parents and whānau who would like to have conversations with their rangatahi about pornography, we have a range of resources on our website including a three-part research project into New Zealand youth and porn.
• Siffredi is known for his rough style of pornography, often involving anal sex, spitting, slapping and choking, and his collaboration with the pornographic studio Evil Angel, as well as his own productions. A few of his publications have been classified objectionable in New Zealand due to the treatment of women. None of this is covered in this series; instead, Rocco is shown in a somewhat sympathetic light and his career and treatment of women a direct response to his upbringing.