Dear All, I have a question for the collective: we have an opportunity to acquire two films, one is a documentary about women and pornography with interviews with many of today's pro sex practitioners, activists and scholars in the field. The second film is a collection of explicit pornographic films produced by women for women, which is being promoted as feminist porn. For reference, one of my interns saw it in a theater in Paris and it comes with a manifesto, which you may read below.
I have included descriptions of both as before we acquire I would like to know how many of you would potentially purchase explicit films for your collection. I believe these films are relevant to Women's Studies, LGBT and Film Studies, and are not 'just' pornography, although both qualify based on the content. Would the explicit content preclude you from purchasing? Please let me know your thoughts. Film #1 Unlike the abolitionist feminist movement, the pro-sex feminist movement, which began in the United States during the 1980s, asserts that representations of the body and of pleasure are areas that must be taken over by women and sexual minorities and that pornography must not be subject to control by the patriarchal state. It also calls for the legalization of sex work; female sex workers, porn actresses, strip teasers and lesbians have begun to speak out and to talk about themselves, generating a new culture that includes articles, books, films, documentaries, music, comics, artistic performances, etc. Made up of about 20 interviews filmed in the United States, France and Spain, the documentary gives the floor to pro-sex activists and follows the evolution of the movement from the 80s to the present, from its pioneers and its successors to its proactive activists in France and Barcelona. It also reveals previously unknown images directly tied to the subject (excerpts from films produced by activists, updates on their activities, archives of their works, performances and street demonstrations, etc.) Whether it’s referred to as Pro Sex, Post Porn or queer, the movement is a creative and revolutionary one that calls on us to reflect on what a pornographic image is, what sex work is, what gender is, and what the whole point of feminism is. Disturbing, provocative and innovative, the film aims to play a saving role as it splits from popular discourse, which would have it that sex is best practiced in the bedroom, that women’s dignity depends on their ‘good’ behaviour and passivity, that the only feminist themes to be debated are gender violence and the wearing of headscarves. ... allows us to see that activists are already occupying other playing fields, inventing other ways of having sex and of thinking of sexuality and gender. Interviewees: NORMA JEAN ALMODOVAR, MARIA BEATTY, LYNNEE BREEDLOVE, CATHERINE BREILLAT, SIOBHAN BROOKS, SONDRA GOODWIN, SCARLOT HARLOT, MARIA LLOPIS, LYDIA LUNCH, POST OP, BEATRIZ PRECIADO, CAROL QUEEN, QUIMERA ROSA, B. RUBY RICH, NINA ROBERTS, CANDIDA ROYALLE, ANNIE SPRINKLE, JACKIE STRANO, MICHELLE TEA, CORALIE TRINH THI, BETONY VERNON, DEL LAGRACE VOLCANO, LINDA WILLIAMS, MADISON YOUNG, ITZIAR ZIGA Film #2 ... is a 2009 collection of thirteen pornographic short films made by Swedish feminists and produced by Mia Engberg. The individual films are highly diverse in content, although many of them feature humour and different forms of queer sex. The creative decisions were based on a manifesto with the aim to create pornography that is non-commercial and follows feminist ideals. The idea for creating the project emerged after Engberg and some of her friends had made Come Together for the Stockholm International Film Festival. It was a short film where each participants filmed themselves with mobile phone cameras while masturbating. Come Together received a large amount of negative commentary, primarily from men, who complained about the actor-photographers being unattractive. To Engberg, this was proof that pornographic films demanded that their female participants should be seen as pleasing to its primarily male audience.[1] Manifesto 1. Beautiful the way we are To hell with the sick beauty ideals! Deep self-hatred keeps a lot of women's energy and creativity sapped. The energy that could be focused into exploring our own sexuality and power is being drained off into diets and cosmetics. Don't let the commercial powers control your needs and desires. 2. Fight for your right to be horny Male sexuality is seen as a force of nature that has to be satisfied at all costs while women's sexuality is accepted only if it adapts to men's needs. Be horny on your own terms. 3. A good girl is a bad girl We are fed up with the cultural cliché that sexually active and independent women are either crazy or lesbian and therefore crazy. We want to see and make movies where Betty Blue, Ophelia and Thelma & Louise don't have to die in the end. 4. Smash capitalism and patriarchy The porn industry is sexist because we live in a patriarchal capitalist society. It makes profit out of people’s needs for sex and erotica and women get exploited in the process. To fight sexist porn you have to smash capitalism and patriarchy. 5. As nasty as we wanna be Enjoy, take charge or let go. Say NO when you want, to be able to say YES when YOU want. 6. Legal and free abortion is a human right! Everyone has the right to control their own body. Millions of women suffer from unwanted pregnancies and die from illegal abortions every year. Fuck the moral right for preaching against birth control and sex information. 7. Fight the real enemy! Censorship cannot liberate sexuality. It is impossible to change the image of women's sexuality if sexual images in themselves are taboo. Don't attack women for displaying sex. Attack sexism for trying to control our sexuality. 8. Stay Queer A lot of opposition to erotica is homophobic and even more transphobic. We don't believe in the fight between the sexes but in the fight against sexes. Identify as any gender you want and make love to whoever you want. Sexuality is diverse. 9. Use Protection "I'm not saying go out an' do it, but if you do, strap it up before you smack it up." (Missy Elliot) 10. Do it yourself Erotica is good and we need it. We truly believe that it is possible to create an alternative to the mainstream porn industry by making sexy films we like. Best, Elizabeth Elizabeth Sheldon Vice President Kino Lorber, Inc. 333 W. 39th St., Suite 503 New York, NY 10018 (212) 629-6880 www.kinolorberedu.com VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
