CineKink

>We’ve just got word from Jennifer Lyon Bell that her CineKink award-winning short film, Matinée, has been banned from screening publicly in Australia.

Matinee

Jennifer’s piece was scheduled to run tomorrow at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival. But the event has been informed by the nation’s censorship board, the Office of Film and Literature Classification, that of all of the selections submitted for permission to screen as “unrated”–which is typically how Australian festivals are able to screen independent works which haven’t gone through a costly classification process–Matinée could not be exhibited. (Another film presented at CineKink, Tony Comstock‘s documentary Damon & Hunter enjoyed this dubious distinction back in 2006!)

In a statement of protest published by MUFF, Jennifer questions the OFLC’s decision:

The sexual relationship portrayed by the characters Mariah and Daniel in Matinée is not only a consensual, emotional and nuanced relationship, but their sex plays an important role in the story of the film. The story is not tacked on to the sex; rather, the story has everything to do with the way the characters continue to communicate nonverbally throughout the entire sex scene.

And festival director Richard Wolstencroft, after extolling the work’s artistic merits and noting its relevance in promoting a positive view of female sexual empowerment, criticizes the ban as sexist and hypocritical in light of other recent descisions by the OFLC :

Lars Von Trier’s ‘Antichrist’ was recently passed by the OFLC for the Melbourne International Film Festival. This film depicts extremely high levels of sexual violence and genital mutilation, and encourages a phallocentric vision in its audience that touches on the idea that women are inherently evil. ‘Matinee’ depicts actual sex between two adults in a loving and consenting partnership, and significantly it focuses on the importance of women’s pleasure in sexual intimacy, and presents a remarkably strong female lead. Passing ‘Antichrist’ but banning ‘Matinee’ reveals a tendency in the OFLC to suppress films which strengthen female sexuality on screen and to allow films which encourage view that female sexuality is damaged, fractured or violent.

There’s been some talk that MUFF will go ahead with its originally intended screening as an act of civil disobedience. That would be as part of the Mini Muff Session #5, scheduled for Wednesday, August 26 @ 7pm.

>Don’t ever say we’re not timely! Well, okay, lots of times we’re not, but tonight we’re responding to an urgent plea from CineKink alum Tonya Bezra, who writes:

There was just an amazing act on America’s Got Talent where a woman did a really cute 50’s domination scene… but the judges “gong showed” her off so she couldn’t even finish. The judges all expressed disappointment at her not staying with what she had done in the qualifying rounds which was “yodeling dominatrix” like in a more pvc cat woman look. My heart just went out to her. Because it was clear that she didn’t want to be a one-gimmick pony and the 50’s housewife dominatrix thing was so cute. Anyway, so my fantasy of fantasies is that people will call in and vote for this woman. Her name is Manuella Horn. To vote for her you dial 1-866-602-4505.

Here she is, above, doing a retro-themed roleplay performance on tonight’s episode.

And here is Manuela’s infamous appearance as the “Yodeling Dominatrix”, when she made the first qualifying round back in June.

You have until 6 am ET/3 am PT to cast your vote and fulfill Tonya’s fantasy!

>Come inside for the latest from CineKink alum James Westby (The Auteur, 2009), the music video for Storm Large’s Eight Miles Wide from her one-woman show, Crazy Enough:

….taking the phrase “vagina music” to raucous extreme!

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(image via SIU School of Law)

Given the promises made within the bold red circle on the cover, you can imagine our delight when we stumbled upon our parents’ copy of the unexpurgated edition of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, tucked way, way up high on the top shelf of their bookcase. And, if you happened to read the same tome as an eager youth, you can also appreciate our growing disappointment as we realized the book was a bit more, well, literary than some other titles found in their 1970s-era library.

All of that was possible thanks to a court decision made 50 years ago today–resulting from the efforts of Grove Press publisher Barney Rosset, who sued the US Postal Service for confiscating copies of the uncensored version of the novel, which had long been banned for its explicit descriptions of sex and liberal use of the f-word. As recounted in the New York Times, an attorney hired by Rosset, Charles Rembar, spotted a loophole in an earlier Supreme Court ruling and argued that while a work might be found obscene, it could at the same time present ideas of “redeeming social importance” – and qualify for First Amendment protections afterall.

Though obscenity battles continue on today, a ruling on July 21, 1959 in favor of Grove Press took away the Post Office’s absolute authority to impound and restrict such works. And paved the way for Lady Chatterley’s Lover to find its way to bookshelves throughout America, to be joined later by such subsequent Grove Press gems as the first US edition of The Story of O and “My Secret Life,” the purported erotic memoir of a Victorian gentleman, along with many less prurient offerings over the years.

Barney Rosset’s heroic skirmishes against censorship and the ups and downs of Grove Press are detailed in the recent documentary Obscene:

Among the usual and many pleasures at the most recent CineKink NYC, we also had the new fun of watching eyes widen and jaws drop as festival-goers caught first sight of The Perfect Eleven, given to us by long-time CineKink sponsor njoy and displayed as the grand prize in a silent auction raising funds for the festival. (And, O what a prize!)

Tonight, the gleaming hunk of perfection will compete for one of the first ever “O” awards, presented by AVN, going up in the category of “Outstanding Innovation for 2009.”

njoy has also been nominated for awards in marketing, packaging and overall product design and a favorite classic, the Pure Wand, pictured below with njoy’s Greg Delong at CineKink’s kick-off gala, competes for recognition as “Outstanding Non-Powered(!) Product.”

Here’s but an overview of some of the other nominees up for recognition this evening. Meanwhile, our happy congratulations to njoy–and best wishes to all of our friends taking part in the event!

>CineKink alumni director Scott Bloom (CineKink ‘06 & ‘08) reports that a copy of his amazing documentary, Call Me Troy, was handed off to Michelle Obama during yesterday’s meet-up with LGBT community leaders.

A profile of gay rights activist and founder of Metropolitan Community Churches, Rev. Troy Perry, the work is an important chronicle of the fight for sexual freedom and a moving tribute to a man who proclaimed that sexuality and religion – Christianity, even! – need not be separate.

Here’s hoping the President makes time in his schedule for a screening and, inspired by Troy’s example, room in his heart to be a truly “fierce advocate” for LGBT rights.

At one point in time, we thought we wanted to be her. Now, looking back on this scene from the camp classic, Myra Breckinridge, we suspect another slightly confused dynamic might also have been at play.

A fond farewell. (And a bonus sighting of film critic Rex Reed!)

>The CineKink award-winning documentary Sex Positive, a compelling history of safer sex and profile of activist Richard Berkowitz, who helped pioneer the concept, opens this weekend in NYC at The Quad. A special Q&A featuring Richard and the film’s director, Daryl Wein, will be held after the 7:45 ~~& 9:45~~ screenings on Friday through Sunday.

Dates have also been announced for LA and San Francisco, but a good turn-out this weekend will help the film get booked into other cities.

A must-see!

>We originally noticed the art form in conjunction with the first annual Air Sex World Championship, held last fall in Austin, but haven’t yet witnessed the act first-hand.

That will change this week–for much of America–as the competition takes to the road in search of this year’s champion Air Sex performer. Kicking off tonight in Atlanta, the tour takes place over the next three weeks in cities across the nation.

Think you’ve got what it takes? Take a peek at last year’s action for some guidelines and be prepared to serve it up!

As part of the prestigious TED lecture series, Bonk author Mary Roach dips into scientific research to share “Ten things you didn’t know about orgasm.”

Or maybe you did, but diverting nonetheless.

>Another kerfuffle down under!

>Action Alert: Vote for the Yodeling Dominatrix!

>That’s a WIDE, wide love.

>Hey…you got socially redeeming importance in my prurient interest!

>A big ‘O’ for the Eleven?

>Taking it to the White House

>Oh, Farrah

>’Sex Positive’ in NYC – this weekend!

>Bring it, America!

>Oh, TED