CineKink Announces Award Winners at Tenth Annual Kinky Film Festival

NEW YORK, NY; March 6, 2013 - Rounding out multiple days of screenings and parties in its tenth anniversary appearance, organizers for CineKink NYC/2013 announced the recipients of awards in a range of categories during the film festival's closing celebrations held on Sunday, March 3, 2013

"When we set off on our first year of CineKink, little did we think that one day we’d be celebrating a 'decade of decadence,'" noted Lisa Vandever, CineKink co-founder and director, as she presented the awards. "It's because of amazing, quality films that we've reached this important milestone and it's a pleasure to honor just a few of those tonight."

Audience Choice Awards were given to "Remedy" (Cheyenne Picardo) for Best Narrative Feature, with "Betty Page Reveals All" (Mark Mori) winning for Best Documentary Feature. The CineKink Choice awards were determined by audience ballot just following each eligible film's screening during the festival.

In the shorts competition, juried festival awards went to "Pinecone" (Michael Markham) for Best Comedy Short, "Krutch" (Matthew Clark) for Best Dramatic Short, "Impact" (Mollena Williams) for Best Experimental Short, and to "Zucht und Ordnung" (Jan Soldat) and "Ritual" (Jörg Fockele), which tied for Best Documentary Short. Honorable Best Mention awards were presented to "50 Seconds of 50 Shades" (Bo Blaze), "Amber" (Aven Frey, Gala Vanting and Frank Ly) and "Rift" (Keith Hodder).

Determining the shorts awards, CineKink jurors this year included Viviane Tang, ring-leader of the sex blog "Viviane's Sex Carnival," Mike White, editor and publisher of the independent film-focused "Cashiers du Cinemart," and Bill Woods, a film festival programmer and curator of the New Filmmakers series at Anthology Film Archives.

The fourth annual CineKink "Bring It!" award, determined by audience ballot during a presentation of excerpts showcasing current adult cinema, went to "Joy Club" (Petra Joy).

The CineKink Tribute, recognizing extraordinary depictions of kink and sex-positivity in mainstream film and television, was presented to "Sessions" (Ben Lewin/Fox Searchlight) for its "amiable and often humorous assertion that sexual pleasure is an essential human right." Honorable mentions for the CineKink Tribute went to the film "Hysteria" (Tanya Wexler/Sony Pictures Classics) and to the television show "Our America with Lisa Ling" (OWN), with a special "'Pokemon Polyamory' Farewell Tip of the Hat" presented to the outgoing series "30 Rock" for "introducing such terms as 'normaling' and 'sex idiot' in the American vernacular." Works eligible for consideration this year were those released or aired in the United States from January 1 until December 31, 2012.

Making its tenth anniversary run February 26-March 3, 2013, CineKink NYC featured a specially selected program of films and videos that celebrate and explore a wide diversity of sexuality. Billing itself as "the kinky film festival," the event is dedicated to the recognition and encouragement of sex-positive and kink-friendly depictions in film and television. With offerings drawn from both Hollywood and beyond, works presented at CineKink NYC ranged from documentary to drama, comedy to experimental, mildly spicy to quite explicit - and everything in between. Sponsors of CineKink NYC/2013 included Crystal Delights, KinkyMedical.net, njoy and TakeDown Piracy, along with ainsley-t, DistribPix, Feminist Porn Awards, FetishMovies, Leather Archives & Museum, Les Jeux du Marquis, National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, Pleasure Salon, Reload and The Eulenspiegel Society.

Selections from CineKink NYC will be featured in a traveling version of the festival, slated to appear in various cities throughout the coming year.

"CINEKINK CHOICE" - AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
CineKink Choice awards, which go to feature-length works in competition during the festival, were determined by audience balloting at the close of each eligible work's screening. The 2013 award winners are:

• CineKink Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature:
  "Remedy" (Cheyenne Picardo, 2013, USA, 120 minutes)
  A psychological drama based on writer/director Cheyenne Picardo’s personal experiences, REMEDY follows a woman into the dungeons of New York City and the world of professional domination and submission.
• CineKink Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature:
  "Bettie Page Reveals All" (Mark Mori, 2012, USA, 102 minutes)
  An intimate look at the rise, fall and rise again of one of the world’s most recognized and controversial sex symbols.

"CINEKINK BEST" - JURY AWARD FOR BEST SHORTS
CineKink Best awards, which go to short works in competition during the festival, were determined by jury deliberation and ranking. The 2013 award winners are:

• CineKink Best Comedy Short:
  "Pinecone" (Michael Markham, 2012, USA, 18 minutes)
  At the end of a first date, a young man and woman are desperate to surprise the other.
• CineKink Best Dramatic Short:
  "Krutch" (Matthew Clark, 2012, USA, 5 minutes)
  The perspective of one young woman lies bare any preconceptions of sexability.
• CineKink Best Documentary Short:
  "Zucht und Ordnung" (Jan Soldat, 2012, Germany, 9 minutes)
  Two naked, elderly men talk about their relationship, their predilections and the good old days.
  
  -tie-
  "Ritual" (Jörg Fockele, 2011, USA, 5 minutes)
  One man journeys to cope with his HIV infection through a hooking ritual.
• CineKink Best Experimental Short:
  "Impact" (Mollena Williams, 2012, USA, 7 minutes)
  The viewer becomes voyeur as this short explores the emotional impact of witnessing a series of consensual and kinky interactions.
• CineKink Honorable Best Mentions:
  "50 Seconds of 50 Shades" (Bo Blaze, 2012, USA, 2 minutes)
  An extremely abridged rendering of the literary classic.
• "Amber" (Aven Frey, Gala Vanting and Frank Ly, 2012, Australia, 15 minutes)
  A film about the push-pull of erotic edgeplay and the curious brutality of love.
• "Rift" (Keith Hodder, 2012, USA, 5 minutes)
  A family man has his devotion challenged by the unexpected arrival of his secret lover.

"BRING IT!" - Adult Industry Showcase Award
The CineKink "Bring It!" award is determined by audience ballot during a presentation of excerpts showcasing adult cinema.

• "Joy Club" (Petra Joy, 2012, United Kingdom, 16 minutes)
  A pool table sex scene? In a female take on the classic porn scenario, our heroines turn the tables on the cocky macho men and give as good as they get.

"CINEKINK TRIBUTE" - Festival Award for Extraordinary Depiction of Kink and Sex-Positivity in Mainstream Film/Television
Works eligible for consideration this year were those released or aired in the United States from January 1 through December 31, 2012.

• "Sessions"
  (Fox Searchlight; dir. Ben Lewin)
• Honorable Mentions:
  "Our America with Lisa Ling" (Oprah Winfrey Network)
  "Hysteria" (Sony Pictures Classics; dir. Tanya Wexler)
• Special "'Pokemon Polyamory' Farewell Tip of the Hat"
  "30 Rock" (Broadway Video; NBC)

For more information, visit http://cinekink.com

CineKink Announces Kinky Line-Up for Tenth Annual Film Festival

NEW YORK, NY; February 12, 2013 - CineKink NYC returns for its tenth anniversary appearance on Tuesday, February 26th, bringing with it a specially-curated program of films and videos that celebrate and explore a wide diversity of sexuality. In addition to screenings, plans for the festival also include a short film competition, presentations, audience choice awards, a fund-raising kick-off gala and a concluding afterglow party.

Billing itself as "the kinky film festival," the event will run February 26-March 3, 2013. Presented by CineKink, an organization dedicated to the recognition and encouragement of sex-positive and kink-friendly depictions in film and television, works presented at CineKink NYC will range from documentary to drama, comedy to experimental, mildly spicy to quite explicit - and everything in between.

The kink-filled festivities begin Tuesday, February 26th, at 8 PM, with a fundraising kick-off extravaganza to be held at Taj (48 W. 21st Street, NYC), a pansexual celebration that, in addition to music and sexy performances, offers several cinematic gems up on the screen.

The festival then moves to Anthology Film Archives (32 Second Avenue, NYC), Wednesday, February 27 through Saturday, March 2, with several different film and video programs scheduled for each day.

An awards celebration and an AfterGlow play party complete the festivities on Sunday, March 3.

WEDNESDAY
Among the headliners, first up on Wednesday, February 27 at 7:00 PM, the festival's CineKink Season Opener screening of REMEDY, based on writer/director Cheyenne Picardo’s personal experiences, follows a young woman into the dungeons of New York City and the world of professional domination and submission. Then, at 9:30 PM, MOTHER IS COMING is a raunchy, romantic sex comedy set in the edgy and gender-bending underground of Berlin.

THURSDAY
On Thursday, February 28 at 6:30 PM, a special sneak preview of BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL provides an intimate look at the rise, fall, and rise again of one of the world’s most recognized and controversial sex symbols. Then, at 9:30 PM, a collection of short works, STRANGE LIVE ACTS, explores the relationship between pain and pleasure, performance and transcendence.

FRIDAY
On Friday, March 1 at 6:30 PM, SEXING THE TRANSMAN explores the sexuality of transmen and the changes they experience as a result of their gender transitions from female to male. At 8:30 PM, in HOOKING UP, a hot mix of hot shorts looks at the magic of getting together and (maybe) getting it on. And at 10:30 PM, DAREDOLLS AND RUBBERSLUTS is a shiny collection of shiny works, all sharing a certain textile fixation.

SATURDAY
Kicking off Saturday, March 2 at 1:00 PM, feminist pornographer Tristan Taormino takes the stage in THE FEMINIST PORN SHOW, introducing the concept of feminist porn and playing a selection of short clips she has curated from filmmakers around the world.

At 2:30 PM the discussion continues, as THE FEMINIST PORN PANEL explores what feminist porn is, how it relates to the mainstream adult industry, and some personal experiences creating, performing, or studying it.

At 4:30 PM, a special industry showcase, BRING IT!, features a dazzling array of talent from today's adult cinema, each representing a wide range of genres and visual styles, all stepping up with a hot sampling of their recent creative endeavors.

At 7:15 PM, RELEASE is a taut and sexy collection of shorts that play with the dynamics found between build-up… and relief.

And at 9:30 PM, in the festival’s Closing Night Tribute, it’s a meticulously restored version of Radley Metzger’s THE OPENING OF MISTY BEETHOVEN, widely considered to be the greatest adult film of all time and the apex of porno chic

SUNDAY
CineKink NYC concludes the evening of Sunday, March 3 at 6:00 PM, with an Awards Celebration, including presentation of the annual festival awards, to be followed at 9:00 PM by the CineKink Afterglow Party, one last chance to mingle with like-minded festival-goers and enjoy a few additional screenings, this time in a relaxed play party setting. The locations for both events will be announced at a later date.

For more information, visit http://cinekink.com.

CineKink Announces Kinky Line-Up for Ninth Annual Festival

CineKink NYC returns for its ninth annual appearance on Tuesday, February 7th, bringing with it a specially-curated program of films and videos that celebrate and explore a wide diversity of sexuality. In addition to screenings, plans for the festival also include a short film competition, presentations, audience choice awards, a fund-raising kick-off gala and a concluding afterglow party.

Billing itself as "the kinky film festival," the event will run February 7-12, 2012. Presented by CineKink, an organization dedicated to the recognition and encouragement of sex-positive and kink-friendly depictions in film and television, works presented at CineKink NYC will range from documentary to drama, comedy to experimental, mildly spicy to quite explicit - and everything in between.

The kink-filled festivities begin Tuesday, February 7th, at 8 PM, with a fundraising kick-off extravaganza to be held at Katwalk (2 W. 35th Street), a pansexual celebration that, in addition to music and sexy performances, offers several cinematic gems up on the screen.

The festival then moves to Anthology Film Archives (32 Second Avenue, NYC), Wednesday, February 8 through Saturday, February 11, with several different film and video programs scheduled for each day. An awards celebration and an AfterGlow party complete the festivities on Sunday, February 12.

WEDNESDAY
Among the headliners, first up on Wednesday, February 8 at 7:00 PM, the festival's CineKink Season Opener screening of CABARET DESIRE, inspired by New York’s real-life Poetry Brothel, weaves together several erotic vignettes. Then, at 9:00 PM, AFTER FALL, WINTER is a sexy, funny and darkly poignant story about two people who desperately crave intimacy, yet resist revealing their true selves.

THURSDAY
On Thursday, February 9 at 7:00 PM, it's (A)SEXUAL, a documentary look at what it’s like to be without sexual desire in a society that is otherwise obsessed. Then, at 9:10 PM, KINK & KINSHIP is a program of short works that celebrate the special sense of community a shared kink tends to engender.

FRIDAY
On Friday, February 10 at 6:30 PM, the lives of several people are turned upside down when they meet Cecile, a character who symbolizes DESIRE. At 9:00 PM, COUPLINGS is a sexy collection of shorts about two-somes, three-some and more-somes. And in SEXUALLY FRANK, at 10:40 PM, a group of long-time friends finds that sex is no less befuddling now than it was during puberty.

SATURDAY
Kicking off Saturday, February 11 at 12:30 PM, many hijinks ensue in SWEET PRUDENCE & THE EROTIC ADVENTURE OF BIGFOOT, when the mythical beast is spotted at a remote nudist resort. At 2:45 PM, a special industry showcase, BRING IT!, features a dazzling array of talent from today's adult cinema, all stepping up with a hot sampling of their recent creative endeavors. At 5:00 PM, STAGE BROTHER follows the quest of a young woman who dreams of making it in the world of adult entertainment. At 7:15 PM, in SIRWIÑAKUY, two Bolivian strangers participate in their own kinky version of a sirwiñakuy, an indigenous tradition where a man brings home a trial “wife.” And, closing out the festival's regular screening schedule at 9:45 PM, the romantic drama “3” tells the story of Hanna and Simon who, on the brink of their 20th anniversary, separately become enamored with the same younger man.

SUNDAY
CineKink NYC concludes the evening of Sunday, February 12 at 6:00 PM, with an Awards Celebration, including encore screenings of jury-selected best shorts from the week and presentation of the annual festival awards, to be followed at 9:0O PM by the CineKink Afterglow Party, one last chance to mingle with like-minded festival-goers and enjoy a few additional screenings, this time in a relaxed play party setting. The locations for both events will be announced at a later date.

For more information and advance tickets, visit www.cinekink.com.

CineKink Announces Dates for Ninth Annual Kinky Film Festival

NEW YORK, NY; December 1, 2011 - Scheduled for February 7-12, 2012, the ninth annual CineKink NYC will feature a specially-curated program of films and videos that celebrate and explore a wide diversity of sexuality. In addition to screenings, plans for the festival also include a short film competition, audience choice awards, a special adult entertainment showcase, presentations, parties and a gala kick-off, all to be followed by a national tour.

Billing itself as "the kinky film festival," the event is presented by CineKink, an organization dedicated to the recognition and encouragement of sex-positive and kink-friendly depictions in film and television. With offerings drawn from both the independent cinema world and the adult, works presented at CineKink NYC will range from documentary to drama, comedy to experimental, slightly spicy to quite explicit--and everything in between.

"We're once again looking to blur some boundaries and spice things up with our programming," said Lisa Vandever, Co-Founder and Director of CineKink. "Our audience has come to expect a quality selection of smart and sexy works and, judging from the films that have come in so far, the 2012 season will not disappoint!"

CineKink recently completed its 2011 national tour in Chicago, concluding a season that also saw the festival visiting Austin, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Portland and Washington, DC.

A call for entries to submit works for CineKink/2012 runs until December 12, 2011, and the festival line-up and schedule for CineKink NYC will be announced in early January.

For more information go to http://www.cinekink.com.

Porno Person Plays Cinekink 2011

I'm proud to announce that I have a short flick, Porno Person, playing in the 2011 Cinekink Film Festival in NYC.

Porno Person plays at 1PM on Saturday, March 5, 2011 along with When Harry Met Chesty and Jamie Popowich's feature documentary Run, Run, It's Him!. The festival takes place from March 1-6, 2011 at the Anthology Film Archives.

Purchase tickets online via Eventbrite.com.

Cinekink Cool? You Betcha!

Big congrats to the folks at Cinekink for recently being named as one of the 20 Coolest Film Festivals by Movie Maker magazine. This is well-deserved recognition.

Be sure to keep up with Cinekink for this year's festival (March 1-6, 2011) and their touring program.

Fetisch Film Fest Winners 2010

A kinky German cousin to the NYC phenomenon (that's on tour across the U.S.), Cinekink, here are the winners of this year's Fetisch Film Festival:

• BEST FILM:
  AMERICAN FETISH
  Directed by Michael Simmons
  Erotic mystery-thriller in lingerie, inspired by David Lynch and Eric Kroll.
• BEST ACTRESS:
  Elektra Harris
  in MISTRESS SUPERIOR
• BEST ACTOR:
  Jacob Breen
  in MISTRESS SUPERIOR
• BEST SHORTFILM:
  SHIBARI
  Directed by Caeser Pink
  www.caeserpink.com
• BEST DOCUMENTARY:
  FRAUENZIMMER
  Directed by Saara Aila Waasner
  Documentary about two prostitutes and a dominatrix
• BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY:
  WHIP SMART
  Directed by Sini Anderson
  Ex-Dominatrix visits the places of her past
  http://melissafebos.com/whipsmart.html
• BEST MUSIC VIDEO:
  BAD ROMANCE
  Lady Gaga
  Directed by Francis Lawrence
  www.ladygaga.com
• BEST CONCERT CLIP:
  RUDE BOY
  Rihanna
  www.rihannanow.com
• BEST WEBSITE OF FILM PRODUCERS:
  The Other World Kingdom (OWK)

The Kinky Film Festival...

My memory could be better.

On the plane to New York I attempted to make a list of the times I've been to the Big Apple and realized that this was my sixth time visiting NYC. Movies really helped secure the past trips in my head. I could recall trips to the Angelica to Safe, the Film Forum to see Foxy Brown, the Sony Lincoln Center to see The Wild Bunch, the Pioneer to see Night Mother, the Lincoln Center to see The Woman Chaser... it was only the last trip, a whirlwind tour of the city with Andrea, where I didn't go to a movie.

My first trip to New York will always remain the one I remember most; going there in 1995 for the New York Underground Film Festival where Who Do You Think You're Fooling? screened at the Anthology Film Archives. Coincidentally, the CineKink Film Festival also screened its selections at the AFA.

Recalling the bluster of NYUFF '95, I was surprised that CineKink screenings weren't standing room only. Here is a festival showcasing films that are could be considered subversive and potentially controversial. I suppose the differences between the films and CineKink and those at most "Underground" festivals was the lack of a sophomoric attitude towards sex and a dearth of violence. Too many "Underground" films that I've suffered through enjoy a bevy of boobies often drenched in fake blood. There were boobs galore at CineKink but no blood and no schoolboy attitude of "aren't I dirty?"

That's not to say that the CineKink films were without humor. From the toe-tapping The Pinky Song to the wonderfully quirky Hungry for Love, several films mixed comedy and sexual themes. I also had a lot of laughs during Yoni Marten's Flaming of the Shrew--a film where it didn't take much for one of the actors to take one another over their knees for a good old-fashioned spanking.

When I got into town for the second full night of CineKink, starting with the "Kinda Kinky?" program, I immediately thought I was in trouble. The program opened with Nathan Strausse's "Tied"--a self-indulgent, slow-moving series of shots of a comely woman tied up on a bed. If this defined what CineKink, I knew I was in trouble. Luckily, Strausse's work proved the exception to a strong program and intriguing slate of films.

As part of the jury for CineKink 2010, my biggest challenge had to be trying to figure out my criteria for rating one film higher than another. Was I looking for quality of production? The merits of the film's narrative? Or did films that gave me an erection automatically get extra points?

Different strokes for different folks, of course. The subject matter of CineKink ran the gamut from informative documentaries (Wes Hurley's Waxie Moon) to goofy gay porn (Dominic Ford's Whorrey Potter and the Sorcerer's Balls). Most of the fare ranged from fun to downright "bonerific" with only a scant few duds in the mix. I wasn't a big fan of Carlos Batts's Behind the Red Door -- the use of two music tracks that repeated throughout made this long-winded lesbian scene even more interminable. Nor did I care for Tinto Brass's Kick the Cock.

It follows that I enjoyed the films that won awards at the festival since I helped vote for them. The one entry that didn't win an award that I thoroughly enjoyed, Madison Young's Perversions of Lesbian Lust 2, is one I'll be looking for on DVD soon.

I'll definitely remember the fun I had at CineKink.

CineKink Announces Award Winners at Annual Kinky Film Festival

NEW YORK, NY; February 23, 2010 - Rounding out multiple days of screenings and parties in its sixth annual appearance, organizers for CineKink NYC/2010 announced the recipients of awards in a range of categories during the film festival's closing celebrations held on Sunday, February 21, 2010.

"The audience and jury response was particularly enthusiastic this year," noted Lisa Vandever, CineKink co-founder and director, as she presented the awards. "We had a record set in the Audience Choice award ratings for 'S&M Judge' and the rankings on our selections were generally high across the board. My thanks to all of the filmmakers for allowing us to share their amazing works."

Audience Choice Awards were given to "S&M Judge" (Erik Lamens) for Best Narrative Feature and to "My Sexuality: A Sensory Experience" (Felicia Giouzelis) for Best Documentary Feature, with an Honorable Mention award going to the documentary "Waxie Moon" (Wes Hurley). The choice awards were determined by audience ballot just following each eligible film's screening during the festival.

In the shorts competition, juried festival awards went to "Walking the Dog" (Luigi Campi), "Balloons" (Charles Nuckolls) for Best Documentary Short, "Handcuffs" (Erika Lust) for Best Experimental Short, and to "The Pinky Song" (Rick Ferguson) for Best Music Video. Honorable Best Mention awards were presented to "Coverage" (Jef Taylor), "Hungry for Love" (Ruckus Skye) and "The Sheep and the Ranchhand" (Loretta Hintz).

Determining the shorts awards, CineKink jurors this year included Viviane, ring-leader of the sex blog "Viviane's Sex Carnival," Mike White, editor and publisher of the independent film-focused "Cashiers du Cinemart," Lolita Wolf, a BDSM educator and activist who also blogs as "Leather Yenta," and Bill Woods, a film festival programmer and curator of the New Filmmakers series at Anthology Film Archives.

The CineKink Select, an occasional festival award recognizing artistic innovation, was presented to three films this year, going to "Modern Love is Automatic" (Zach Clark) and "Anti-Samaritan Hotline" (A. Tad Chamberlain) for Creative Vision, and to "Libidoland" (Julie Keck and Jessica King) for Outstanding Viral Achievement.

The first-ever CineKink "Bring It!" award, determined by audience ballot during a presentation of excerpts showcasing current adult cinema, went to "Tristan Taormino's Rough Sex" (Tristan Taormino).

The CineKink Tribute, recognizing extraordinary depictions of kink and sex-positivity in mainstream film and television, was presented to "American Swing" (Mathew Kaufman and Jon Hart/Magnolia Pictures, 2009), a documentary about the infamous Plato's Retreat, for its "humorous yet respectful look back at a particularly free-wheeling time and place in America's sexual history." Honorable mentions for the CineKink Tribute went to the television series' "Dollhouse" (Fox), "Gossip Girl" (CW) and, for the second year running, "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS). Works eligible for consideration this year were those released or aired in the United States from January 1 until December 31, 2009.

Making its seventh annual run February 16-21, 2010, CineKink NYC featured a specially selected program of films and videos that celebrate and explore a wide diversity of sexuality. Billing itself as "the kinky film festival," the event is dedicated to the recognition and encouragement of sex-positive and kink-friendly depictions in film and television. With offerings drawn from both Hollywood and beyond, works presented at CineKink NYC ranged from documentary to drama, comedy to experimental, mildly spicy to quite explicit - and everything in between. Sponsors of CineKink NYC/2010 included B-Side Entertainment, National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, Njoy and Soho Journal, along with Tied-Up Events, For The Girls, Hot Movies For Her, OMG!, Pink/White Productions, Scarleteen, Shelly’s Toy Box and Wet International.

Selections from CineKink NYC will be featured in a traveling version of the festival, slated to appear in various cities throughout the coming year.