One of the most explicit movies to get the go-ahead by the British Board of Film Classification will be shown in Oxford from tomorrow.

The provocative French film, Romance, which tells the story of a young woman embarking on a sexual odyssey to test her own physical and emotional limits, will be shown at the Ultimate Picture Palace in Jeune Street.

The national release was delayed for several months while the board considered whether it was fit for British audiences following controversy in the US and elsewhere in Europe. Eyebrows were then raised when it was given an 18 certificate, with critics pointing out that the film featured graphic unsimulated sex scenes.

Some councils have already considered stepping in to stop it being shown in their areas but Saied Marham, manager of the cinema, said he didn't expect the same reaction in Oxford.

He said: "The council tends to be quite good here, partly because there are so many students and these are arthouse films."

The film features several scenes in which the main actress, Caroline Ducey, is graphically shown having real sex. One of the characters she encounters is played by an Italian porn star and there are also bondage scenes.

Mr Marham said he had no qualms about showing it. He added: "Possibly there will remain questions about what is an acceptable limit to depict in the name of art, but I don't believe the film should simply be left to discussion by a small band of doddery art critics."

Announcing its decision to grant the subtitled film an 18 certificate, board president Andreas Whittam Smith said: "The Board is in no doubt that Romance is a serious work."

He added that the board's relevant test of acceptability for 18 certification was met, in that "images of real sex will usually be brief and must be justified by context".

Story date: Thursday 18 November

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