This book investigates how European cinema can illuminate the complex concept of sexual difference and its relation to psychoanalytic theory. Fabio Vighi, drawing on Lacanian psychoanalysis and inspired by Slavoj Žižek, explores how film represents the repressed elements that shape our subjective experience within socio-symbolic contexts. The analysis focuses on the discrepancy between reality and the 'Real' of enjoyment, using filmic representations of sexual difference as a primary lens. Vighi examines seminal post-war European films, considering perspectives on courtly love and feminine enjoyment.

The book is positioned as a scholarly exploration that bridges cinematic representation with psychoanalytic theory, specifically Lacanian concepts. It aims to unravel complex ideas about sexuality and subjectivity through the medium of film. The analysis is grounded in the works of prominent European directors, suggesting a dense and theoretically informed approach for readers interested in the intersection of film studies and psychoanalysis. The work is likely to appeal to academics and students in film theory, cultural studies, and psychoanalytic thought.