The phrase "todas lo hacen" (referring to women, specifically in the context of his films like The Key (1983), Capriccio (1987), and The Voyeur (1994)) is the key to his universe. Brass argues that the housewife, the professor, the nun, or the aristocrat all share the same secret. Behind closed doors—or in Brass’s case, behind a slightly ajar door—every woman is the director of her own erotic rebellion. This is where the interpretation becomes nuanced. Mainstream critics have often accused Brass of misogyny, of reducing women to objects of the male gaze. However, a closer look at his heroines suggests the opposite. The women in a Tinto Brass film are rarely victims. They are strategists .

"Todas lo hacen" is Spanish for "They all do it." Tinto Brass is an Italian film director known for his erotic and provocative films (e.g., Caligula , The Key ). The phrase likely refers to a thematic trope in his work: the idea that beneath a surface of propriety, all women (or all people) possess a hidden, uninhibited erotic nature. This article explores that concept as a cinematic and cultural theme. Beyond the Veil: The Enduring Provocation of "Todas lo hacen" in the Cinema of Tinto Brass In the landscape of European erotic cinema, few names carry the weight—or the controversy—of Tinto Brass. The Italian maestro of sensuality has built a decades-long career on a single, audacious thesis: beneath the corsets, the etiquette, and the social masks, there exists a raw, unapologetic, and liberating truth. In Spanish-speaking circles, this philosophy is often captured by the phrase "Todas lo hacen" — "They all do it."

Take the character of Lisa in The Key . She is a married woman in 1940s Venice. On the surface, she follows the rules. But "todas lo hacen" applies here: Lisa orchestrates an elaborate game of voyeurism and adultery, forcing her husband to watch. She is not being looked at; she is performing for her own pleasure. She holds the power.

But what does it mean? Is it a cynical male fantasy, or is Brass pointing toward a deeper, more radical form of female empowerment? To watch his films through the lens of "todas lo hacen" is to understand an artist obsessed with a single moment: the instant when propriety collapses and authentic desire takes over. Tinto Brass is not a pornographer. While his films are unapologetically explicit, they operate in the realm of the artistic-erotic . His signature visual style—the infamous "candlelight" soft focus, the obsessive close-ups of silk, stockings, and curves—serves a specific narrative purpose. He is documenting what he sees as a universal, genderless truth: that social repression is the only thing standing between civilization and a more honest kind of happiness.

And yes. They all do it.