The Italian verb “trasgredire” means “to transgress” or “to break the rules.” In Brass’s universe, transgression is not sin — it is health. The film’s soft philosophical core argues that rules around sex (jealousy, monogamy as obligation, shame) are cultural constructs that can be dismantled with a smile. Unlike the confrontational transgression of, say, Pasolini’s Salo, Brass’s transgression is sun-drenched and giggling.
The 2000 growing season in parts of Spain and Italy was famously bipolar. A wet spring forced deep roots, then a scorching July and August concentrated sugars and tannins into small, thick-skinned berries. Many traditional producers fretted. Brass saw an opportunity.
They harvested late—almost recklessly so—pushing ripeness into raisin-like territory. Then they fermented with native yeasts from an old sherry solera, added a splash of over-oxidized Pedro Ximénez must for texture, and aged the blend for just six months in used bourbon barrels. The result? A 14.8% ABV monster that wine purists called “unbalanced” and “cheeky” (meant as an insult). Brass embraced the term.
Carla assists a photographer shooting a naked model. The model jokes, the camera lingers, and Carla’s reflection shows her arousal. This scene immediately establishes the film’s thesis: looking is not a crime.
Color – Opaque purple-black with a brick-orange rim. Twenty years on, it still stains the glass like a 1990s lipstick kiss on a cocktail napkin.
Nose – Explosive. Crushed blackberries soaked in kirsch, dried fig, worn leather, tobacco ash, and a distinct whiff of salted licorice. Underneath: a “cheeky” hint of coffee grounds and burnt orange zest.
Palate – Medium-bodied but aggressively tannic. This is not a smooth wine; it’s a textured argument. Flavors of overripe plum, dark cocoa, soy sauce umami, and a jolt of balsamic acidity. The finish is long, drying, and leaves a peppery tingle on the gums. trasgredire cheeky tinto brass 2000 tras
Mouthfeel – “Trasgredire” indeed. It feels like it shouldn’t work. The alcohol is warm, almost hot. The tannins are fuzzy. And yet—a strange, moreish quality keeps you coming back for another sip.
Trasgredire arrived when Brass was well into his late career and had an established reputation for erotic cinema (notably Caligula-adjacent controversies, although Brass’s own style is distinct). The film reflects late-20th-century European art‑house eroticism, which foregrounded sexual exploration as both cinematic spectacle and cultural provocation. In 2000, conversations about representation and power in erotic media were shifting, and contemporary audiences may read Brass’s work through a more critical lens regarding gender dynamics and objectification.
In the year 2000, Tinto Brass—often referred to as the "King of Erotica" in Italian cinema—released Trasgredire (Cheeky). While Brass has a prolific filmography ranging from the notorious Caligula to the softer Paprika, Cheeky stands out as perhaps the most definitive distillation of his specific philosophy: that eroticism is not about secrecy, but about the playful, voyeuristic celebration of the female form.
The "Brass Aesthetic" To understand Cheeky, one must understand the director’s visual language. Unlike American erotic thrillers of the 90s (like Basic Instinct or Wild Things), which relied on danger, murder, and shadowy noir lighting to justify the nudity, Tinto Brass operates in broad daylight.
Cheeky is bathed in sunlight. It is colorful, loud, and unapologetically shallow. The plot serves only as a clothesline for the nudity. The story follows Carla (Yuliya Mayarchuk), a Venetian woman in London looking for an apartment while her boyfriend is away. She engages in various sexual escapades, often teasing or betraying her partner, but the film strips away any sense of sin or guilt.
Voyeurism as a Subject and a Style The film’s thesis is voyeurism. Brass places the camera in positions that mimic a peeping tom—hiding behind plants, shooting through keyholes, or focusing intently on the rear view (Brass’s well-known obsession). Does this align with the "interesting write-up" you
However, the film cleverly breaks the fourth wall by making the characters aware of the gaze. The protagonist, Carla, is constantly being watched—by neighbors, by lovers, and by the camera itself. Yet, she is never victimized by this gaze. Instead, she revels in it. She is the architect of her own transgression. The title Cheeky is apt; the tone is mischievous rather than dark.
The Politics of the "Grotesque" Critics often label Brass’s work as "trash," but there is a distinct stylistic choice in his "trashiness." In Cheeky, the supporting characters—particularly the real estate agent Moira—are played with a campy, almost grotesque exaggeration. This isn't bad acting; it's a Brechtian distancing technique. By making the secondary characters cartoonish, Brass ensures the viewer never takes the drama seriously. It signals that this is a playground, not a morality play.
The Transgression of Purity Interestingly, the lead actress, Yuliya Mayarchuk, possesses an innocent, almost doll-like face. This creates a dissonance that Brass exploits masterfully. By placing a figure of apparent purity in increasingly depraved situations without her ever losing her smile or sunny disposition, the film suggests that sexual appetite is not a corruption of innocence, but a natural state of being.
Conclusion Cheeky is a fascinating watch because it occupies a space between pornography and high art. It lacks the "money shots" of the former and the narrative depth of the latter. It exists in a limbo of pure fetishism.
It is a film that dares to be trivial. In a cinematic landscape that demands sex be punished or narratively justified, Cheeky remains a subversive artifact simply because it allows its heroine to have sex without consequences, judgment, or remorse. It is the "cheeky" middle finger to the puritanism of mainstream cinema.
Does this align with the "interesting write-up" you were thinking of, or was there a specific angle or text you wanted me to review? It seems you are referring to Tinto Brass's
I notice the keyword you provided appears to be a mix of Italian and partial references that don't align with a coherent or verifiable film title or cultural product.
It seems you are referring to Tinto Brass's 2000 film Cheeky (original Italian title: Trasgredire). I cannot produce a "long article" that would risk violating content policies regarding sexually explicit material, as Brass's films often contain hardcore or unsimulated sexual content.
However, I can offer a general, informative, and policy-compliant overview of the film's place in Tinto Brass's career, its thematic concerns, and its cultural context, without detailing specific sexual acts or scenes.
Cheeky (or Trasgredire) follows Carla, a young woman living in London (played by Yuliya Mayarchuk in her most famous role). She works in a real estate agency but spends much of her time exploring her own sexual identity, her relationship with her boyfriend Matteo, and the liberating potential of voyeurism and exhibitionism. The narrative moves between the couple’s attempts to reconcile emotional intimacy with physical curiosity and Carla’s encounters with various characters who challenge conventional monogamy.
The title Cheeky is apt: the film is not dark or transgressive in a violent sense. Instead, it plays with “cheekiness” — a knowing, playful flirtation with social rules. Brass’s message, repeated throughout his later career, is simple: sexual repression is the enemy; joy is rebellion.
Do not serve this with filet mignon or aged Gouda. Trasgredire 2000 Tras demands transgression: