Wikipedia:

Pedophilia in films

This article is about pedophilia/paedophilia in movies/films. For pedophilia in other media, see Pedophilia in literature (boys), Pedophilia in literature (girls), Pedophilia in the theatre, and Pedophilia and child sexual abuse in songs.

Pedophilia and child sexual abuse have been themes in many films. Child molestation is an overriding theme for many of these films, like I Know My First Name Is Steven. Some films do not explore the abusive aspects of the adult/child sexual relationship, like Voor een verloren soldaat. Others, like L.I.E. depict an abuser who has a few endearing qualities. Some movies focus on positive aspects of the relationships, for example Le Souffle au coeur or Du er ikke alene (You are not alone).

Other films, like Hearts in Atlantis or The Man Without a Face, do not deal with pedophilia or child sexual abuse, but concern adults suspected of being abusers. A few movies, like Morte a Venezia, have a pedophile protagonist who commits no illegal acts.

The two adaptations of the novel Lolita are perhaps the most well known examples of pedophilia and child sexual abuse in films.

There are the main sections on boys and girls, followed by sections on criminal investigations based on true stories, media personalities and anime.


Movies with a pedophilia theme involving underage boys

Movies depicting child sexual abuse, having a theme of pedophilia, or content depicting or discussing sexual relationships with underage boys:


Contents Top · 0–9 · A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

0-9

A boy is raped and killed by a fascist.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molester">[1][2][3]

A

  • Abuse, 1983, directed by Arthur J. Bressan Jr.
Thomas, an effeminate 14-year-old who is physically abused by his parents, has a relationship with a 30-year-old gay man
A boy falls in love with a much younger schoolboy who is also loved by a priest[[1]]

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Sex_With_Minor">[4]

A prostitute seduces a 12-year-old boy[[2]]

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molestation">[5]

B

12-year-old Danny is molested by a Vietnam Vet[[3]]
Lawrence, a pedophile (Christopher Reeve), abducts 8-year-old Jonathan[6]
  • Burning Secret, 1988, directed by Andrew Birkin
An aristocrat becomes infatuated with a 12-year-old boy[3]

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molester">[1][7]

  • The Boys of St. Vincent - Part 1 - 1992 / Part 2 - 1993. This movie is based on actual events. In the 1970's, an ugly scandal was enveloping an orphanage in Canada; priests in charge of the orphanage were sexually and physically abusing their young charges.

C

Christian and Linda, who later committed suicide, were sexually abused by their father when they were children[[4]]
  • The Child I Never Was, (Ein Leben lang kurze Hosen tragen), directed by Kai S. Pieck
A German boy, Jürgen Bartsch, is convicted for the murder and sexual molestation of younger boys.[[5]]
  • Children of God: Lost and Found, 2007, directed by Noah Thomson
Documentary of Thomson's life and abuse as a child in a Christian cult
Michael, an autistic 7-year-old, reveals that he is being sexually abused by Jeff, his carer

D

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features an episode where an immoral priest solicits a street urchin.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_prostitute">[8]

The true story of Catholic priest Father Oliver O'Grady who abused both boys and girls.[9]
  • La discesa di Aclà a Floristella, released in English as Acla's Descent into Floristella, 1992, Italian film directed by Aurelio Grimaldi
11-year-old Aclà is sold into slavery and has to work in a sulpher mine with other young boys who are regularly sexually abused by the miners.[3]
  • Duvar, released in English as Güney's The Wall or The Wall, 1983 Turkish film directed by Yilmaz Güney

E

  • Eban and Charley, 2000, directed by James Bolton
A 29-year-old forms an intimate relationship with a 14-year-old boy

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Man_boy_love">[10][[6]]

  • Un enfant dans la foule, A Child in the Crowd, 1976, directed by Gérard Blain
13-year-old Paul discovers that he is attractive to certain soldiers in 1944

F

G

  • Gossenkind, released in English as Street Kid and Streetchild, 1992, directed by Peter Kern

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Sex_With_Minor">[4]

H

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A respected psychiatrist and family man is a predatory abuser of his young son's friends.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molester">[1][3][11][[7]]

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molestation">[5][11]

I

  • Isä meidän, released in English as Our Father, 1993, Finnish film directed by Veikko Aaltonen


J

  • The Jaundiced Eye, 1999, directed by Nonny de la Peña

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molestation">[5]

  • Judgment, 1990, directed by Tom Topor

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molester">[1]

K

  • Kids Don’t Tell, 1985, directed by Sam O’Steen

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molestation">[5][3]

  • A Kind of Hush, 1999, directed by Brian Stirner, based on Richard Johnson's autobiographical novel Getting Even, now published as A Kind of Hush
  • Kinsey, 2004, directed by Bill Condon
Kenneth Braun claims sexual relations with 605 pre-adolescent males and with 231 pre-adolescent females as well as many family members.[[8]]

L

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  • L.I.E., a 2001 film starring Paul Dano and Brian Cox as "Big John". The film stands out for its portrayal of Big John as a person with genuine fatherly feelings. The film earned a NC-17 rating, and showed in very few theaters during its initial release.[[9]]
  • Lakki, also released as Lakki: The Boy Who Grew Wings, 1992, Norwegian film directed by Svend Wam
  • The Lost Son, 1999, directed by Chris Menges
The child sex trade in London.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_pornography">[7]

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Sex_With_Teacher">[13]

M

Two boys fall in love and are also abused by a priest at their school.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Sexual_abuse">[14][11]

A disfigured teacher with a mysterious past forms a friendship with a troubled 12-year-old boy. Public suspicion over the nature of their relationship drives the film toward its climax, though the actual relationship between the two is left ambiguous.[[#wp-_note-Erotic innocence|[15]]][[10]]
A composer becomes obsessed with a beautiful teenage boy he meets in Venice.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Man_boy_love">[10][3]

Two adolescents molested as young boys have very different memories of their experiences.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Man_boy_love">[10][3][11]

The lives of three men who were childhood friends come together again. One boy had been abducted by pedophiles when playing in the street with the others.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molester">[1]

N

  • The Near Room 1995, directed by David Hayman
Charlie Colquhoun (Adrian Dunbar) learns that his old schoolmate Harris Hill was raped by his father and is now involved in a child pornography ring.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_pornography">[7]

A female teacher falls for a 15-year-old student and has sex with him.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Sex_With_Teacher">[13]

O

P

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Q

R

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molestation">[5]

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_pornography">[7][[11]]

S

  • Sapore del Grano, released in the USA as The Flavor of Corn, 1991, an Italian film directed by Gianni da Campo
Lorenzo, a professor, falls under the spell of Duilio, a 12-year-old pupil.[3]
Paul, a naive man,is falsely accused of child molestation[[12]]
  • Seduction in a Small Town, also known as Harvest of Lies, 1997, directed by Charles Wilkinson
A mother is falsely accused of abusing her children
  • Sin Destino, 2002, directed by Leopoldo Laborde
Fran, a 15-year-old street hustler, has been sexually abused since he was 9 years old
A Berlin policeman uncovers a paedophile ring[3]
The true story of one teacher's fight to stop sexual abuse in an Irish Reformatory School
Incest between a boy and his mother.
Among other perversions, young boys are sexually assaulted by a Beauty Queen
  • Sønner, 2006, released as Sons outside Norway, Norwegian film directed by Erik Richter Strand
Tells the story of a former victim seeking revenge from the middle-aged man who for a long time has sexually abused young boys in the community, and uses pictures to blackmail his victims into staying quiet

T

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  • Tras el crystal, also released as In a Glass Cage, 1987, a Spanish film directed by Agustí Villaronga [[13]]
Angelo, sexually abused as a 10-year-old boy, returns to haunt Klaus, the now-paralised abuser and a Nazi child killer. In a cycle of abuse, Angelo reenacts scenes of child torture and murder from Klaus' scrapbook.
  • Torzók, released in English as Abandoned, 2001, Hungarian film directed by Árpád Sopsits
  • Twist of Faith, 2004, directed by Kirby Dick
Tony Comes survived sexual abuse by a Catholic priest

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molestation">[5][[14]]

U

  • Der Unhold, a German film released in English as The Ogre, 1996, directed by Volker Schlöndorff

V

A Canadian soldier in Europe during World War II has a sexual relationship with a 12-year-old boy.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Man_boy_love">[10][3][[16]]

W

  • Whipping Boy, 1996, directed by Di Drew from the novel Whipping Boy by Gabrielle Lord

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_pornography">[7]

X

Y

Z

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Pedophilia as a minor theme

Pedophilia and childhood sexuality are minor themes in some films, including:

A 12-year-old gay boy (Nathan Lopez) is molested as he walks home
Scenes of intimacy between two brothers - 18-year-old AIDS sufferer Léo and 12-year-old Marcel; between Marcel and his best friend Yvan, and between Marcel and Yvan's mother
The exterminator kills the leader of a child pornography ring and one of his clients
Bobby's mother wrongly suspects that Ted Brautigan (Anthony Hopkins) has molested both her 11-year-old son (Anton Yelchin) and his friend Carol
  • Henry & Verlin, also released in Canada as Eyes That Went Away, directed by
Henry, who is slow-witted, is wrongly suspected of molesting Verlin, his autistic 9-year-old best friend.
a 15-year-old boy and a 12-year-old boy explore their sexuality at boarding school and eventually reveal their relationship to their friends and parents at a school assembly.
Michael Lamb, a Christian Brother, abducts 12-year-old Owen Kane, but does not molest him.
Sy (Robin Williams) was abused by his father as a child
Trevor (Haley Joel Osment) is propositioned by a man when he runs away from home and Eugene (Kevin Spacey) attacks the man
A prisoner who escaped with Butch tries to molest 8-year-old Phillip (T.J Lowther)[[#wp-_note-Erotic innocence|[15]]]
Friends and neighbors question Graham's motives when he tries to adopt 10-year-old James
  • Vers le sud, released in English as Heading South, 2005, directed by Laurent Cantet
One of the women is tempted to spend some time with a 12 year-old boy.
Mike (Nicholas Hoult), a 15-year-old boy, claims his counselor comes on to him and the boy's father David Spritz (Nicholas Cage) beats the man up.
  • Without a Trace 1983, directed by Stanley R. Jaffe and based on Still Missing by Beth Gutcheon
A gay housekeeper is suspected of molesting and kidnapping a 6-year-old boy

Overtones of pedophilia

Some commentators have implied that there are overtones of pedophilia in the following movies:

Anna (Nicole Kidman) and 10-year-old Sean (Cameron Bright) share a bath.[3] [18][19]
The story of J.M. Barrie's friendship with the Llewelyn-Davies boys who inspired him to create Peter Pan, including Peter (Freddie Highmore)
  • Whole New Thing, 2005, directed by Amnon Buchbinder
A 13-year-old boy develops a crush on his teacher.

Movies with a pedophilia theme involving underage girls

Movies depicting child sexual abuse, a theme of pedophilia, or sexual content involving girls include:

An affair between a 30-year-old Chinese man and a 15-year-old French girl in colonial Vietnam.
The main character, Max Cady, sexually abuses Danielle Bowden, the daughter of Sam Bowden.
On his father's 60th birthday, Christian reveals to the family that, when he was a child, his father used to sexually abuse him and his late sister, Linda, who later committed suicide.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molestation">[5]

Saint Phalle is sexually abused by her father
A police officer tells children about the dangers of accepting rides or presents from strangers

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Sexual_abuse">[14]

  • Dreamchild, 1985, directed by Gavin Millar, developed from the television play Alice by Dennis Potter, and based on the life of Charles Dodgson/Lewis Carroll[[#wp-_note-Erotic innocence|[15]]]
  • The Fall before Paradise, 2005, directed by Steven Gillilan
  • Fallen Angel, 1981, directed by Robert Michael Lewis
  • The Final Cut, directed by Omar Naim

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molestation">[5]

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molestation">[5]

  • Fleurs de Sang, 2002, directed by Myriam Mézières and Alain Tanner
  • For My Daughter's Honor, also known as Indecent Seduction, 1996, directed by Alan Metzger.
  • Freeway, 1996, directed by Matthew Bright
  • Frühreifen-Report, 1973, an Austrian film directed by Ernst Hofbauer
  • The Good Mother, also known as The Price of Passion, 1988, directed by Leonard Nimoy, from the novel by Sue Miller
A man allows a 6-year-old girl to touch his genitals, although not with the intention of sexual stimulation.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Sexual_abuse">[14][5]

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molestation">[5]

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molestation">[5][[#wp-_note-Erotic innocence|[15]]]

[[21]]

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molestation">[5]

  • Péché véniel... Péché mortel..., 1995, written and directed by Pomme Meffre
  • Piccole Labbra, 1978, released in English as Little Lips, directed by Mimmo Cattarinich

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Sex_With_Minor">[4]

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_prostitute">[8][[#wp-_note-Erotic innocence|[15]]]

Detective Hartigan (Bruce Willis) is framed for raping 11-year-old Nancy.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molester">[1]

A young lawyer defends a black man accused of murdering two men who raped his 9-year-old daughter.[2]

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molester">[1]

Pedophilia as a minor theme

Pedophilia is a minor theme in some films, including:

Jesus Quintana John Turturro went to prison for exposing himself to an 8-year-old
A motivational speaker (Patrick Swayze), is discovered to be a pedophile when his collection of child pornography is found.
A 14-year-old girl pretends to be her father's lover in order to impress a boy.
Thomas Hulce's character discovers the girl he's just lost his virginity to is only thirteen.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molester">[1]

Pedophile overtones

Some commentators have implied that there are pedophilic overtones in the following movie:

  • Léon, 1994, directed by Luc Besson; involving Léon (Jean Reno) and 12-year-old Mathilda (Natalie Portman). There is a cut scene only available on DVD where Mathilda asks Leon to be her first which he refuses saying she should enjoy life as little girl more before contemplating such things. [22]
  • M, 1931, directed by Fritz Lang and starring Peter Lorre

Criminal investigations based on true stories

The two films chronicle abuse by priests at an orphanage in Canada and are based on true events.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molester">[1][2][3][16]

The controversy surrounding the conviction of a father and son for the abuse of children who came into their home for computer classes.[3]
The true story of Catholic priest Father Oliver O'Grady who abused both boys and girls
Ritual satanic sexual abuse and child pornography at a day-care centre.[3]
  • Gacy 2003, directed by Clive Saunders
The story of John Wayne Gacy, the serial child molester and murderer.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molestation">[5]

  • I Know My First Name Is Steven, also released as The Missing Years, 1989, directed by Larry Elikann
The true story of Steven Stayner's life after being kidnapped at the age of seven and his abuse over seven years.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Sexual_abuse">[14]

The true story of the McMartin family who were wrongly accused of the molestation of preschool children.[3][[#wp-_note-Erotic innocence|[15]]]
  • Judgment Day: The Ellie Nesler Story, 1999, directed by Stephen Tolkin
Ellie Nesler shoots he son Willy's alleged molester during his trial.

"#wp-_note-IMDb_Keyword:_Child_molester">[1][[#wp-_note-Erotic innocence|[15]]]

The story of wrongfully accused parents from the Kern County child abuse cases
  • Just, Melvin: Just Evil, 2000, documentary directed by James Ronald Whitney
A grandfather sexually molests a number of family members
  • Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills, 1994, directed by Larry Elikann and Honor Thy Father and Mother: The True Story of the Menendez Murders 1994, directed by Paul Schneider
The story of the Menendez brothers who murdered their parents then claimed they had been abused as children.
  • Our Fathers, 2005, directed by Dan Curtis from the book by David France
Boys have been abused by John Geoghan and other priests.[3][[23]]
  • Pure Fiction, 1998, directed by Marian Handwerker
A child sex abuse ring in Belgium
A documentary about Stevie Fielding, an abused boy who became an abuser himself.
  • Unspeakable Acts,