PORN'S OTHER POINT OF VIEW

For too long, porn has been about the way men see sex. Now, women are getting behind the camera to tell their side of the story.

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Erika Lust, Founder of Lust Films

To me, mainstream porn is chauvinistc and tacky. Years ago, I felt there was a need for an alternative. I also felt there was a need to offer diversity, represent all the different parts of society and people so that they can see themselves in these films, to inspire, to educate and open their minds to the huge range of different sexualities out there. Most importantly, our children and young adults shouldn’t only be exposed to one version of porn that teaches them bad values.

The truth about porn is that it has the power to make a statement, express ideologies and values, as well as opinions about sex and gender. Most importantly, this means it has the power to liberate.

In university, I studied gender from a political point of view, which meant that I had to read academic literature surrounding the topics and was exposed to articulate arguments on gender-related issues.

Linda Williams’ book Hard Core was an eye-opener for me and equipped me with the language and knowledge to effectively describe what I had thought about porn, sexism and other gender issues from a young age.

I did a filmmaking course and in 2004, I made a short film called The Good Girl. It followed the traditional “pizza delivery guy” cliché, but from a female perspective. It proved to be a success.

After that, I focused on building a brand and went on to make more films such as 'Five Hot Stories For Her', 'Barcelona Sex Project', 'Life Love Lust' and 'Cabaret Desire'.

My films are made with feminist values and represent people as subjects and promotes role equality. Male characters are human beings, not machines. Women have their own sexuality and desires and are not passive objects exclusively focused on pleasuring men – they have a voice in the story. There is a mutual exchange of pleasure and respect and consent is always a priority.

Casting is one of the most important components and the process is lengthy and thorough. We always ensure that our performers are aged 21 and above and have had their own sexual experiences, are sex-positive and are 100 percent happy and enthusiastic to be involved.

We really get to know the performers before we start filming. I try not to direct the sex at all, so they have full freedom and are in control the whole time. I let them do what feels natural and pleasurable for them. I don’t instruct them to put a leg here or an arm there and do five different positions!

I also try to work with performers who already know each other and are attracted to each other and have a connection. They decide beforehand what they want to do. This produces the best results on screen and they have a better time.

Ethics are paramount and so we insist on certain principles such as every part of the shoot being discussed and agreed to in advance. We never ask a performer to do something that they have not consented to or expect. Every shoot includes multiple breaks, food and a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere.

My production crew and office team are predominantly female, which means that the entire process takes place from the female point of view, allowing women’s desires to be portrayed as well as men’s. In front of the camera, this creates adult films exploring sex, sexuality and fantasies in a way we feel is respectful and relatable.

Some of our performers have a history working for mainstream producers and others only have experience in the ethical movement. They might have different backgrounds but they all know how to have sex on camera. We have a large variety of actors and the only common denominator is that they all have great enthusiasm for what they do.

Over time, some people began sending me their fantasies, asking me to turn them into films. And that is how the idea of XConfessions came to life. It is a platform where people anonymously send in their fantasies and sexual confessions, from which I pick two every month and turn them into a short film. I’ve already shot 100 such short films.

XConfessions is a way of getting my audience involved and crowdsourcing the experience of making and watching adult films. The films are innovative and fresh because it’s not just my imagination at work.

I also run EroticFilms.com, a website where you can rent or stream the best of ethical adult cinema. I recently offered to finance and produce female adult cinema directors and I’ve already produced 10 short films by these guest directors.

For many viewers, my films help them celebrate their sexuality and encourages them to be empowered by sex in a variety of ways, including getting rid of taboos.

I consider my films to be part of the feminist movement, but at the same time I don’t think feminist porn exists as a genre per se. I am a feminist woman, so of course my female perspective and my feminist values as a person have always been injected into every part of my films.

I feel sorry for people who talk down to women who choose to be in the adult entertainment industry. My films aim to be bigger than just films as they seek they have a wider social effect and try to encourage the ethical adult cinema movement. This new wave of adult cinema is stronger than such criticism.

I want there to be a true atmosphere of sex positivity in the world. There is still an undercurrent, even in the most liberal spaces, of sexuality being policed and shamed, especially among women. I want my films to break that barrier and I want women to explore and seek their own sexual pleasure. People should not to conform to other people’s ideals of what sexuality should be and become more accepting of other people’s choices.

AS TOLD TO NILESH PINTO