Okay, I’m not actually going to be in Tel Aviv, but tomorrow night both DAMON AND HUNTER: DOING IT TOGETHER and ASHLEY AND KISHA: FINDING THE RIGHT FITare going to be playing in the Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival! Here’s the info:

Tel-Aviv Cinematheque, TLVFEST – Israel International LGBT Film FestivalYair Hochner2 Sprinzak StTel Aviv 64738 Israel
3:00 AM, theater L for ASHLEY AND KISHA3:15 AM, theater G for DAMON AND HUNTER

I don’t know why these films haven’t had more success in the US LGBT Festival circuit, no Reeling, no Frameline, no Philidelphia, none of the big gay and lesbian film fests. The whole film fest thing is a bit of a crap shoot, and after our submission blitz for ASHLEY AND KISHA, I decided that reaching for the film fest brass ring wasn’t the best place to put our money and energy.

Don’t get me wrong. We are thrilled thrilled thrilled when our films get a chance to play in a theater! And we’d never turn down a chance to be in a festival. But we’ve completely given up on the idea that first you do the film fests, then theatrical, the DVD. Both DAMON AND HUNTER and ASHLEY AND KISHA went out to the people first, then on to the film festival circuit. (We put the festival laurels on the second or third pressing.)

This is a contrariun marketing strategy, but it’s worked for us. Our DVD sales are on par with some of the most recognized documentaries of the last couple years. I think one of reason for this is that we don’t cannibalize our DVD sales with endless low or no paying festival appearances or a money-losing theatrical run. Apparently we’re not alone. From a recent Business Week article:

OPTING OUT OF THE FESTIVAL CIRCUIT
But like musicians who shun record labels (BusinessWeek.com, 10/10/07) to sell their music themselves, anecdotal evidence suggests documentary filmmakers—already an entrepreneurial bunch—are foregoing the conventional path of shopping their films to a distributor. They’re skipping such deals and using the Internet to get their stories in front of people who want to hear them.

But while DVD sales might be the financial backbone of Comstock Films, I still think there’s something special about seeing a film in a theater. I still think there’s something magical about the power of a film to turn a group of strangers, sitting in the dark, into an audience. And I because we’re inculcated in the notion that sex is a private, shameful act, I think that’s something wonderful and unexpected when that happens with one of our films.

So meet me in Tel Aviv, meet me there tomorrow night! If not in person, then in spirit!

Another really nice review of one of our films from Essin’Em. Last time it was ASHLEY AND KISHA, this time it’s DAMON AND HUNTER. It’s a very positive, dare I say insightful review. This is my favorite part:

Oral, hand jobs, anal, general fucking, kissing; you name it, these boys are doing it. After hearing them talk, and then watching them fuck, you can really see how much respect and love for one another there is in this relationship, (more…)

Cinekink Presents:

A Comstock Films Double Feature at New York’s Pioneer Theater

MARIE AND JACK: A HARDCORE LOVE STORY (2002)

DAMON AND HUNTER: DOING IT TOGETHER (2006)

Director (that’s me) Q&A to follow

DATE/TIME: December 11, 7PM

SCREENING LOCATION:
Pioneer Theater, 155 E. Third Street (@ Avenue A), NYC
Admission: $10; $6 seniors/students; 18+ only.

AFTERPARTY LOCATION
China, 150 Avenue B (@ 4th St.), NYC

Imagine a world… where erotic films don’t offend, but arouse. Where orgasms are real and filmmakers are independent. Self Serve has curated a collection of filmmakers who aren’t afraid to keep it real, when mainstream porn fails to satisfy. Pornotopia showcases sex on the big screen that is healthy, tender, raw, real and beautiful. In Pornotopia sex is fun, everyone gets off, and pleasure is paramount.

Friday, November 30th
(Assorted shorts from Libido films will be shown throughout the evening.)

7:00pm Annie Sprinkles Amazing World of Orgasms

8:30pm Xana and Dax: When Opposites Attract
Director: Tony Comstock

10:00 pm and 12 midnight
The Alibi’s Midnight Movie Madness presents:
Disco Dolls in Hot Skin: A 3D Classic Porn!

Saturday, December 1st

4:00pm The Pain Game description
Director: Cleo Dubois
& Selections from Zeus Productions

6:00pm Talk to Me Baby: A Lovers’ Guide to Dirty Talk & Role Play description
Director: Shar Rednour

7:30pm Herstory of Porn: Reel to Real description
Director: Annie Sprinkle

9:15pm Superfreak description
Director: Shine L. Houston

10:30pm The Alibi’s Midnight Movie Madness presents:
Disco Dolls & Hot Skin: A 3D Classic Porn!

Sunday, December 2nd

4:00pm Damon and Hunter: Doing it Together
Director: Tony Comstock

5:30pm Urban Friction
Libido Films Director: Jack Hafferkamp

7:00pm Hot and Bothered
Feminist Pornography Director: Becky Goldberg
& How to Fuck in High Heels
Produced by: S.I.R. Video
Director: Jackie Strano

DAMON AND HUNTER: DOING IT TOGETHER
As a part of the Cinekink Passion Plays Program
Friday, November 30 9PM
Leather Archives & Museum
6418 N. Greenview Avenue
Chicago, IL 60626
773.761.9200

Last Summer, while Peggy was on her way back from the Second Annual Feminist Porn Award, I started working on a post tentatively entitled “What Do Pornography and Feminism Have In Common, Part 3″.

I started writing it because I was genuinely surprised that MATT AND KHYM received an award. The previous year we had already had our turn at the podium for a heterosexual title, so felt sure if we were going to get an award for anything, it was going to be for DAMON AND HUNTER.

I stopped writing because I didn’t want to seem like an ingrate, and I really didn’t know where I was going to go with the post, other than to say that the criteria for “feminist porn” at The Feminist Porn Awards pretty much disqualified all of the erotic work that my wife and most of her women friends enjoy.

I started in on it again because of things I read on Petra Joy’s Blog, Erika Lust’s Blog, and Audacia Ray’s Blog about blowjobs, pornography, and feminism.

It was a long post, quoting liberally from the chapter “Seeing Around the Edge of the Frame” in Walter Murch’s book IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE. But once again I’ve shelved it.

Again I can’t explain exactly why, except to say that there’s nothing wrong with talking about why or how a filmmaker makes the films they make, but intentions and agendas only go so far.

If you’re a writer, the words have to make it onto the page; if you’re a painter, the paint has to make it onto the canvas; and if you’re a filmmaker, you’ve got to put it on the screen.

As far as blowjobs go, my understanding of feminism is that one of its central tenents is that a woman should be free to enjoy anything a man is free to enjoy. With that in mind, here are Damon and Hunter, talking about sucking dicks:

From DAMON AND HUNTER: DOING IT TOGETHER

Did you miss the New York and San Francisco screenings of DAMON AND HUNTER, and all the other fun/sexy films in the Cinekink Film Festival? We’ll if you live near Portland, OR, you’re in luck!

DAMON AND HUNTER: DOING IT TOGETHER
Best Doc, 2006 Melbourne Underground Film Festival
Offical Selection, 2006 Sydney queerDOC, 2007 New Zealand OutFest, 2008 Torino LGBT, 2008 Tel Aviv LGBT

Cinekink Film Festival, Passion Plays Session
Clinton Street Theater
Portland, OR
November 2, 9PM
$6 at the door

Last Wednesday night, a technical glitch prevented the screening of The ‘International Male’ a collection of short films at New Zealand’s Outtakes Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. Scrambling to fill the gap, festival organizers offered the audience the choice of LIVING DAY TO DAY or DAMON AND HUNTER: DOING IT TOGETHER. I’ll let GayNZ.com take it from here:

Murmurings from the largely male audience appeared to agree on showing the ‘Damon and Hunter’ film – a “hard-core love story” which contained explicit sex scenes throughout.

Most stayed for the 46-minute documentary showing a male adult-star couple talking about their sex lives. The film ended with a ten-minute explicit sex scene. Many in the remaining audience applauded at the ‘climax’ to the showing.

I remember the audience at Cinekink applauding at the ‘climax’ too. At first I was afraid they were goofing on the film, but within moments I realized the audience was sincere, like an audience cheering when the couple in a romantic comedy finally kisses.

I’m also pleased to see the film written up as having a 10 minute love-scene. In fact, the scene is very nearly 15 minutes long. Always better when people think a film is shorter than it actually is!

No word yet on last night’s official Outtakes screening. Hopefully it went well too!

Okay, okay, not all of Amazon. Right now DAMON AND HUNTER is the #1 Gay & Lesbian Documentary on Amazon.com. Still, pretty friggin’ cool!

Okay, a bit of an over statement to make an eye-catching headline. The truth is right now DAMON AND HUNTER: DOING IT TOGETHER is ranked #2 in Amazon’s Gay & Lesbian Documentary DVD category, right behind THE CELULOID CLOSET.

Not quite the same as #2 on all of Amazon, but still pretty fuggin cool!