Dune and Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve clears up one mystery about the Fremen and intimacy.

In the Dune universe, the Fremen are a group of people known for their reliance on preservation and conservation, so much so that even shedding tears over a loved one’s death is forbidden. Naturally, some fans may have wondered how exactly the members of the group engage in sexual activity with that in mind, and Denis Villeneuve has an answer.

Villeneuve, who directed Dune and Dune: Part Two, addressed the Fremen and intimacy in a new interview with the New York Times. The filmmaker said that the Fremen are actually “very sexual,” and that it’s just a matter of finding the right place to make it happen. Villeneuve went on to address how Frank Herbert’s original book is a lot raunchier, but he couldn’t get into that with the Dune movies, given the PG-13 rating.

“You cannot have sex outside, for sure,” Villeneuve explained. “But [the Fremen] are very sexual. I suspect that all sexual intercourse happens in environments that are protected from losing moisture. When they are in their sietches [or caves] underground, those are sealed. You don’t need to wear stillsuits inside them. We can deduce from that there is no problem to have sex in a sietch.”

He added, “In the book, there are Fremen parties, even some orgies involving spice. I didn’t bring that into the movies because it’s PG-13.”

Denis Villeneuve Addressed Another Fremen Mystery

Villeneuve recently cleared up another peculiar mystery about the Fremen. Some fans had been wondering how the Fremen retrieve the sand thumpers they use to call sandworms. While there’s not a scene that shows the process on-screen, for better or for worse, Villeneuve confirmed that the Fremen would dig through sandworm excrement to retrieve them.

“Yeah, it’s a thing you ask yourself,” the director said, per Gizmodo. “Is there something that they can find back there out of the digestive system of the worm? I’m sure the Fremen thought about that. I’m sure that there’s a way to recycle because it’s a culture that is all about recycling. It’s a bit like people living in space. It’s an environment that’s so harsh and they are very clever people.”

When asked if this meant that the Fremen searched through sandworm excrement, Villeneuve responded, “I suspect.”

The Dune saga will continue, as early work has begun on Dune: Messiah. This will serve as Villeneuve’s planned third installment of a trilogy. It’s not yet clear when the film will be released, but Villeneuve has started writing the script.

Dune: Part Two is playing in movie theaters.