Bold love scenes! Outrageous sexual escapades! Adventurous “sexploits!” From erotic scenes to controversial topics such as incest, fetishes and voyeurism, what is going “too far” in the movies? The IFC original production “Indie Sex: Taboos,” premiering Thursday, July 19 at 10:00PM (ET/PT), explores sexuality in a way that Hollywood would never dare. “Indie Sex: Taboos” goes beyond the sexual revolution to probe the minds of some of the most revered independent filmmakers, including interviews with veteran directors John Waters, Allison Anders and Atom Egoyan as well as today’s directors Miguel Arteta and Don Roos who are not afraid to talk “dirty” about their films and the work of others.
“Indie Sex: Taboos is a provocative documentary that is a surefire ‘turn on’ for film enthusiasts who want an in-depth look at the history, development and significance of sex in independent cinema … and besides, sex is fun.” says Jonathan Sehring, President of IFC Entertainment.
Sex — the collective experience that binds all of us together — has long been one of the most compelling, intriguing and exciting elements to capture on film. Indie Sex: Taboos examines how independent films have provided a forum to discover society’s deepest and darkest sexual fantasies, played out on the big screen. Directed and produced by the award-winning team of Lisa Ades and Lesli Klainberg, “Indie Sex: Taboos” examines the sexually-independent films of the late 60s to the 90s, which were an antidote to Hollywood’s abstinence. These titillating movies paved the way for the innovative work of today’s filmmakers who recognize the power of sex. The documentary strips down the work of John Waters, David Lynch, David Cronenberg, Steven Soderbergh and Atom Egoyan and charts the coming of today’s independent filmmakers who continue to plunge in headfirst, pursuing unorthodox sexual positions…err, rather, topics on film.
In addition, Elvis Mitchell (film critic The New York Times) and Jami Bernard (film critic New York Daily News) participate by delving into the art of sex in cinema. Film historian, John Pierson, and producer, Robert Lantos (Crash), also comment on the evolution and relevance of sexuality in independent movies.
Before independent films, the farthest extent that mainstream movies touched on sex was the “first kiss.” Rebelling against conservative Hollywood, independent films became the forum for those who wanted to know what happened when the lights went out and the clothes came off, separating romance from sex and filling a void by doing the forbidden. Over the past few decades, sexuality moved from romantic to the startling. For example, “Indie Sex: Taboos” explores how foreign films such as Breathless and Blowup thrilled American movie audiences by giving them their first peek at T&A in the cinema. The 60s sexual revolution and prostitution made its way onto the big screen in Midnight Cowboy. John Waters’ happy-go-lucky, risqué and raunchy films of the 70s celebrated free love and hippies, which is best reflected in Desperate Living and Pink Flamingos. His movies irreverently tackled hot topics including homosexuality and subculture. And in the mid-80s, David Lynch’s Eraserhead and Blue Velvet shocked and aroused viewers with his problematic and dark treatment of the fear and horror of sex and commitment. In Steven Soderbergh’s Sex, Lies and Videotape, voyeurism is tied in with sexuality discussing what intrigues and scares individuals such as impotence and AIDS. Additionally, David Cronenberg’s Videodrome and Crash take a terrifying look into sexual fetishes and violence in the movies by combining sexuality and technology. In all of these cases, the ultra sensitive and often concealed issue was brought to light and created discussions on the very adult consequences of sex.
In the current culture, Hollywood still hesitates to discuss such sexually charged subjects while independent movies continue to thrust into uncharted territory. Contemporary auteurs such as David O. Russell (Spanking the Monkey), Miguel Arteta (Chuck and Buck) and Todd Solondz (Happiness) openly examine morality and perversion carrying on the independent storytelling tradition with their groundbreaking movies.
Feeling a little naughty? IFC will whet your appetite by celebrating these rebel moviemakers with its Sin Cinema Festival. The premiere of IFC’s Indie Sex: Taboos on Thursday, July 19 at 10:00PM/ET starts off IFC’s on-air festival. Continuing each night through Sunday, July 22, IFC will air pioneering films exploring the subject of sexuality, where Hollywood shied away! Featured films include David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, Mira Nair’s Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, Don Roos’ The Opposite of Sex, Lynne Stopkewich’s Kissed and David Cronenberg’s Crash.
Get more info from the official IFC web site. Sorry, there’s no porn to be found there. We already checked.
Check out FILMTHREAT.com’s NEWS ARCHIVES and get the movie news you missed!
