Saltburn: Stars say film isn't afraid to push sex scene boundaries

If you've been to the cinema to watch Saltburn, chances are it will have left a mark on your mind.

The psychological thriller starring Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike and Alison Oliver has sparked a divisive reaction for its sex scenes and male nudity.

"Shocking", "disturbing" and "graphic" are just some of the words being used.

"It was this big, massive gesture, and I think it definitely leaves an impact," Alison tells BBC Newsbeat.

Set in a huge country house, Saltburn explores themes like sex, power and class.

The film follows Jacob Elordi's character Felix, a university student from an extremely rich family, who brings friend Oliver, played by Barry Keoghan, home for the summer - a plot which wouldn't normally cause a big response.

But a scene with Alison's character Venetia, where she has sex on her period, has captured people's attention.

Alison says she wasn't shocked though, and feels the scene "makes sense" in the film because of the evolution of Oliver.

"And the vampire theme that was running across the film," she says.

Saltburn was written and directed by English actor and filmmaker Emerald Fennel, who was the showrunner for series two of BBC thriller Killing Eve.

And Alison is full of praise for how she pushed conventional boundaries in the film.

"I think Emerald is just incredible in that way, she isn't afraid to push things and go there. And that's something I admire in her so much," she says.

The unconventional depiction of male nudity is also in the spotlight, with a controversial sexual bathtub scene.

Barry Keoghan's character is shown to be spying on his friend Felix, before climbing into the tub to drink the bathwater once he's gone to bed.

"I think the brilliant thing about this film is you can understand, even through the shock, where all [of the characters] are coming from," Archie Madekwe, who plays jealous American cousin Farleigh, tells Newsbeat.

The film ends with Oliver in a full-frontal nudity scene, which Archie feels has been done with a symbolic meaning in mind.

"The gesture in the full-frontalness is complete freedom in that house, that at one point had its claws around him and he couldn't be himself," he says.

"And there's no greater image of that, than someone being so comfortable in nakedness, walking around the house."

Like Alison, he feels there's a "beautiful thing" in Emerald's writing.

"The more you dissect it, the more you can find reasons for the madness in each of the characters," Archie says.

Saltburn will be available to watch on Amazon Prime from Friday 22 December.

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