Over the past decade, the British film industry has not shied away from exploring the complexities of sexuality, desire, and the human psyche through cinema. Erotic films from the UK have carved out a distinctive niche, often blending sensuality with psychological depth, emotional nuance, and cultural commentary.
Below is a rundown of five standout erotic UK films from the past ten years, as compiled by the team at the escort platform Erobella.
1. The Souvenir (2019) – Directed by Joanna Hogg
While not overtly erotic in the traditional sense, The Souvenir captures the vulnerability and intensity of young love and sexual awakening. Set in 1980s London, this semi-autobiographical film follows film student Julie as she falls for the enigmatic and troubled Anthony. Their relationship is filled with emotional manipulation and sexual complexity, making the film a haunting portrayal of intimacy and power dynamics. Tilda Swinton’s daughter, Honor Swinton Byrne, delivers a quietly powerful performance that lingers long after the credits roll.
2. Ammonite (2020) – Directed by Francis Lee
Starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan, Ammonite is a slow-burning period romance set on the windswept Dorset coast. The film imagines a romantic and sexual relationship between real-life fossil hunter Mary Anning and a young woman grieving the loss of her child. With its sparse dialogue and tactile cinematography, Ammonite builds erotic tension through glances, gestures, and an eventual release that is both tender and raw. It’s a film that explores forbidden love, repression, and emotional healing.
3. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022) – Directed by Sophie Hyde
Emma Thompson delivers one of the boldest performances of her career in this intimate chamber piece about sex, shame, and self-discovery. Thompson plays Nancy, a retired schoolteacher who hires a young male escort (played by Daryl McCormack) to experience the sexual satisfaction she missed during her marriage. The film is refreshingly honest about ageing, body image, and desire, and it treats its subject matter with humour, grace, and unflinching honesty. A two-hander that manages to be both sexy and deeply human.
4. The Duke of Burgundy (2014) – Directed by Peter Strickland
Though released just outside the 10-year mark, The Duke of Burgundy deserves inclusion for its cult status and influence. A surreal, sumptuous homage to 1970s European erotica, it explores the BDSM relationship between two women in an ambiguous, dreamlike setting. With no men in sight and a fixation on role play, control, and ritual, Strickland’s film examines the erotic not just as spectacle but as emotional terrain. It’s sensual, stylised, and surprisingly moving.
5. Lady Macbeth (2016) – Directed by William Oldroyd
Adapted from a Russian novella rather than Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth is a taut, simmering drama set in 19th-century rural England. Florence Pugh stars as Katherine, a young bride trapped in a loveless marriage who begins a torrid affair with a labourer. As the relationship spirals into violence and manipulation, the film unflinchingly exposes the intersection of sexuality, class, and gender. Pugh’s breakthrough performance is electrifying, cementing her as a major talent.
These five films reflect the diversity and daring of British cinema when it comes to exploring eroticism and the impact of adult entertainment on the industry. Each offers a different lens on desire—be it tender, tragic, transgressive, or liberating.
