De France, Avec Amour

In the run up to Valentine’s Day, Match is offering women the chance to attend a workshop in writing erotica followed by a screening of iconic French film Belle du Jour for free. The ‘De France, avec amour’, or ‘From France, with love’ cinema is a unique experience, allowing women to explore their creative side.

Match launched the event as part of its extensive events programme after research from their annual LoveGeist survey showed that the French, compared to Brits were more likely to take the initiative when it comes to talking about sex. Showing that we can learn a thing or two from our French friends the research also showed the French are more likely than us to leave the light on the first time they have sex and to express clearly what they like and dislike in the bedroom.

Helping British women more clearly express their sexual desires, guests will be invited to attend a brand new workshop on sexual fantasy writing from Sexpert Renee from Women's Erotic Emporium Sh!, before sitting down to enjoy a screening of Belle du Jour. Described as a “surrealist masterpiece” the film is often cited in a roundup of the best erotica films of all time and came to define a large part of the genre.

The sexual seminar is open to all women for free and has been designed with female sexual empowerment in mind to inspire women and allow them to be more articulate in recognising their sexual desires. Run by Renée (the in-house sexuality educator at female-focused sex shop Sh!) will help guests in developing their own erotic fantasies. Attendees will be guided to choose the right venue, characters, the time of day and even the smells of their environment to ensure it satisfies their individual preferences.

Tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis. The event is free and includes the half hour workshop, screening of the film and a glass of prosecco (or alternative) on arrival.

The event will run as follows:
6.00pm: Guests arrive
6.15pm: Sh! Workshop to begin
6.45pm: Film to begin
8.30pm: Film to finish

Match spokesperson Jenny Mitchell said,
“British women have a reputation for being less sexually empowered than their European counterparts and erotica is the perfect way for women to articulate their sexual preferences. The ‘De France, avec amour’ screening and workshop is a great way for women to learn how to express themselves through fantasy and hone their seduction techniques in the run up to Valentine’s Day."