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KINK IN THE MAINSTREAM

One of the problems independent filmmakers have faced in the last decade has been the studio’s co-option of the specialty film genre. Acquistions have dropped as the mini-majors have set out to make, with bigger budgets, better production values, and real stars, the kinds of quirky character-based stories that in the ’80s and ’90s were largely the province of independent filmmakers.

A particularly cruel example of this trend was driven home by a press release, excerpted below, I received from CineKink, an organization devoted to “the recognition and encouragement of kink-positive depictions in film and television.” In order, I guess, to snag some mainstream column ink for its annual CineKink festival, the customary “awards wrap-up” release headlines not some of the genuinely kinky winners — like Napoleon Lake’s short Alice in Footland which received an honorable mention in the Audience Choice category — but rather a studio release, Warner Independent’s At Home at the End of the World, which received a Special Tribute Award for “its presentation of a polyamorous relationship and its positive portrayal of family and commitment outside of traditional monogamy.” Runner’s-up included HBO’s Six Feet Under, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and Fox’s Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.

With the Hollywood ass-kissing out of the way, here then is the rest of the press release listing CineKink NYC’s more authentically pervy winners:

“A selection of CineKink NYC audience choice and festival awards were also

announced at the ceremony, presented to filmmakers whose works appeared in

the festival in a variety of categories:

CineKink Choice – AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:

Born in a Barn (Elizabeth Elson, 2004, USA, 53 minutes), an intimate and

sometimes humorous look into the erotic lives of four seemingly ordinary

people and the fast-growing fetish world of ponyplay.

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE:

Slaves (Ich Bin Niemand, 2003, USA, 101 minutes) a graphic,

documentary-style profile of artist R.C. Horsch and his sadomasochistic

relationships with several different women.

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD – HONORABLE MENTION:

Alice in Footland (Napoleon Lake, 2004, USA, 59 minutes) follows Alice’s

visit to an fetish wonderland and a new interpretation of the old classic.

CineKink Best – FESTIVAL AWARD FOR BEST SHORTS

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT:

Liberty in Restraint (Michael Ney, 2004, Australia, 35 minutes) follows

fetish photographer, Noel Graydon, showing his work in progress, a passion

for his art and its themes, and the transgressive activities of the

community he moves within.

BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT

Haircut (Bryan Jackson, 2004, USA, 8 minutes) depicts the close-up results

of a routine haircut taken to extreme.

BEST ANIMATION SHORT:

Dream Human (tsubasa, 2003, USA, 5 minutes) details the mechanistic

creation of a perfect erotic vision.

BEST MUSIC VIDEO:

Spanky! Spanky! (DJ Spot, 2002, USA, 3 minutes) features the original perv

pop stars, Dick-n-jayne, with an ode to spanky! spanky!

HONORABLE BEST MENTION:

I Sit on Acid (Ryan J. Wolowski, USA, 3 minutes) uses a self-held camera

to explore imagery, body, sexuality and self.

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