PorYes! European Feminist Porn Award -
Feministischer Porno-Filmpreis Europa
Since the beginning of the women's movement in the 70s, a wing has existed that has advocated the positive portrayal of sexuality and feminist pornography. This faction calls itself sexpositive feminism or, for short, PorYes. While an examination in the 80s of the sexpositive and the movement confronting sexist pornography -- known medially as the "Feminist Sex Wars" -- was going on in the anglo-saxon realm, [continental] European feminists were standing in less opposition to one another. PorNo-Debates and campaigns took place here as well, but they proceeded in a more differentiated manner, perhaps in part due to the time lag. A sexpositive stance often grew out of, or even concurrently shaped, an antipornographic stance. Contemporary women’s attitudes toward pornography are empirically and distinctly more differentiated than they were 30 years ago: On the one hand, a high level of sensitization to discriminatory, violent portrayals of and behavior toward women and has been documented. On the other hand, a concurrent openness to consensual, sexual experimentation exists, which also holds true for pornographic portrayals.
The transformation is a result from the social movements and, primarily, the women’s movement, which has changed sexual morality over the last 35 years and introduced a morality of negotiation. Sexology mentions a fundamental change in sexual behavior brought about by women. Through the persistent raising of awareness with the establishment of women’s sex shops that provided counseling and educational offerings; high quality, functional, and aesthetic toys; informative sex reference books, and meanwhile women’s pornography, sexuality was dealt with in a more relaxed manner. These newly defined needs also found their way into the commercialized sex industry, which in turn offered attractive toy collections and mainstream porn for women. This positive step, however, does not change the fact that the majority of leading products are produced under unethical work conditions, often at the cost of the environment.
With the first European Feminist Porno Film Prize in Berlin, public space for this newly manifested women’s pornography and a shift in erotic culture will be created. The women’s movement presents a bit more of its political, progressive side, which is sexologically up-to-date and gender-politically groundbreaking. With the third anti-pornography movement as its backdrop, which has consequences that even reach into private relationships, the European Feminist Porno Film Prize will draw extraordinary attention. This event will make the criteria for feminist porno films clear to the public, in turn stimulating discussion and exchanges of perspective.
Criteria for the PorYes Lable:
• A sex-positive attitude, no de-humanising or misogynistic portrayals
• Roles in collusion with those involved / no crossing of personal borders
• Ethical work conditions / safe sex is encouraged
• Those involved will be shown in relation to one another - eye, skin, hand, and body contact, energy exchange.
• Emotions and declarations of love are encouraged, doable, and showable.
• Diverse camera settings, light and shadow games
• Variations of sexual practices in joyful transitions, not an achievement test, broadening of the stereotypically portrayed spectrum.
• A variety of body types, ages, genders, sexual orientations and ethnic backgrounds.
• Authentic sound recordings or music. No gender-stereotypical amplified dubbing of moaning.
• Portrayal of lust and pleasure, focus on female lust and its diversity.
• No schematic portrayals of the “sexual curve” – that is to say no straight zoom in on the male ejaculation, no emphasis of the male cum shot. Orgasms are not the only goal.
• Women are significantly involved in the production of the film as producers, directors, or camerawomen.
The sexpositive portrayal of female lust, the depiction of varied sexual expressions, and the decisive collaboration of women in the film’s production are the minimum reqirements for all films.
These criteria can be required of every film that aims to show adult people in dignified and, in this case, sexual contact with one another. This means that feminist women’s films are respectful portrayals of a qualitatively high caliber. These tenets, too, are supposed to be accentuated through such a porno award.
In an ideal erotic society, women and men would use all genders of their sexual conceptions and fantasies as a source of strength, would holistically view these as part of their being, and draw stimulation from sexpositive portrayals. We simultaneously support the three PorNo-Campaigns, spearheaded in Germany to a large part by Alice Schwarzer. Sexpositive feminism is against sexist and racist portrayals, which, as forms of medial violence, hurt the dignity of people and lower the inhibition threshold for real violence. It is also against the pornografication of everyday life, especially in media, fashion, and culture – and against the popular pseudo-morality that allows for, but does not promote, a positive, emotional, sexual enlightenment among youths.
The awarding of a feminist porno film prize contributes to positive enlightenment. A “PorYes” certificate, which arose out of this initial event, is given to porn films that deal with a feminist criteria and, at the very least, fulfill these three requirements: The sexpositive portrayal of female lust, the depiction of various sexual forms of expression, and the decisive involvement of women in the production of the film. This differentiates the typical, largely sexist and cliché porn from the women- and human-oriented sexpositive porn productions, which guides consumers and encourages the highly commercial productions to explore more exciting and, above all, more respectful films. A multiplying effect can also ensue in other media.
The Feminist Porno Film Prize ceremony shall annually award special productions, create categories bassed on the submitted films, and honor the life works of people who strive toward sexpositive, loving portrayals and artistic realization of sexuality. Categories for a Porno Film Prize could, for example, include genres like sex documentation (documentaries), sexperts (educational films), feature films with sex scenes, sexual orientations (like heterotica, lesbirotica, queerotica, or transporno), particular practices like safe sex porn or sexual competence and general excitement, intelligent porn (with dialogues), more remotely special stories, sound, or even a business prize for successful women in the porn industry.
The Celebrity Jury
The Feminist Porno Fim Prize shall be awarded by a four-member, prominent, competent jury.
Currently a professor in Orlando, the national film prize recipient and feminist film maker Ula Stoeckl, feminist expert and leader, is among the jury members. She brings with her a copious knowledge of film and her vast experience. She could compose a history of pornography in German film from her own cinematographic biography.
With the Konkursbuch-Verlag, publisher Claudia Gehrke is a pioneer of female lust. In addition to Gudula Lorez, she was the first German publisher to publicize sexuality and credit women with a particular status. With the numerous lawsuits her works have drawn and her many speeches of defense in courts, she, too, could write a history of pornography of the last 30 years.
Dr. Laura Méritt is a sexpert who was among the first to spread toys for women around Germany and, through her sensual and playful manner, has influenced the language of sexuality and promoted communication about sexuality. She brings illuminating color to the dark zones and airs out the societal information barriers through her knowledge of taboo topics.
Scholar in Cultural Studies and author Dr. Corinna Rückert did her doctorate on women’s pornography and knows best about positions, productions, and distributions. Her dedication to the new lust of women has survived Beate Uhse, and isn’t just ground-breaking because of that.
The invited nominees
Pioneers of lust who are internationally known personalities with an influence on the sexpositive porn scene in Europe are primarily encouraged and invited to attend the european Feminist Porn Film Award.
Further people will be awarded for their sexpositive portrayals in, among other things, lesbian films, and an audience award will be given as well.
