“Ashley and Kisha: Finding the Right Fit” to play at the New York City LGBT Community Center

Where: NYC LGBT Community Center, 208 W.13th, New York, NY, 10011
When: January 23, Reception at 6:30PM, Screening at 7:30PM
Cost: $8 in advance, $10 at the door
Additional Information: http://www.gaycenter.org/node/2774

Lesbian Cinema Arts will present a one night only screening of “Ashley and Kisha: Finding the Right Fit”, Friday evening, January 23, at the New York City LGBT Community Center.

“American filmmaker and sex on screen pioneer Tony Comstock may have invented the best little documentary formula ever: take a couple who are in a committed, loving relationship, and film them in conversation about it, and also the physical conversation they have with each other during sex. What could be more illuminating, educational, erotic, instructive, profound, fascinating, – take your pick. Ashley & Kisha is one of the sweetest love stories you’re ever likely to see committed to film. Tony Comstock has once again put his perfect documentary formula to good use - true love and real sex - on screen; what’s not to like?!” –– Megan Spencer, Film Critic

“Ashley and Kisha” is the fifth in director Tony Comstock’s award-winning “Real People, Real Life, Real Sex” documentary series. Comstock’s approach to sex, cinema, and love is both disarmingly charming, winning over audiences where ever his films play, and surprisingly controversial, drawing the ire of censors who seem to be mesmerized by the glistening body parts, while remaining stubbornly resistant to the films’ overarching theme of the nourishing power and beauty of sexual love.

“Ashley and Kisha” was to have had its world premiere at the 2007 Melbourne Underground Film Festival, in Melbourne Australia, but the screening was cancelled when the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification refused to grant MUFF a festival exemption, and ordered police dispatched to the festival to prevent the film from being shown. A private screening for festival judges resulted in “Ashley and Kisha” being named Best Foreign Film, and Tony Comstock being named Best Foreign Director.

After the Australian controversy, “Ashley and Kisha” finally had it’s world premiere at the 2007 Long Beach International LGBT Film Festival in Long Beach, CA, where the film was enthusiastically received by an overflow crowd. From there it travelled to the 2007 Out on Film Atlanta LGBT Film Festival where it again played to a full house. Most recently “Ashley and Kisha” played as a double feature with “Damon and Hunter: Doing it Together” at the 2008 Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival, but this New York date marks the first time director Tony Comstock will be present for a screening.

“Each time this film has played, and each time I heard how much people enjoyed it, it’s broken my heart a little bit that I couldn’t be there, ” says Comstock. “I’m thrilled that “Ashley and Kisha” is finally coming to my home town, and I wouldn’t miss it for anything!”

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Audience Enthusiasm for “Ashley and Kisha”:

“I first read about this movie in my local gay and lesbian newspaper. I was trully impressed once I finally saw the actual movie. It’s beautiful, touching and real. The two ladies were very real and open to a fault. I thought the love scene was erotic and you could feel the love the couple shared. My hats off to the producers.” — S.G. Staten Island

“This certainly isn’t for anyone shy about physical affection, or for people put off by affection between women. Although lovely and erotic, it isn’t really about sex, either. It’s about what bonds couples together. Even I, as a straight male, could see echoes of my own relationship in theirs. I’m grateful to these two charming women for sharing their closeness. ” — WiredWeird, Amazon.com Top 100 Reviewer

“These two women are in love and it shows…the sex scene is passionate and real, and the interview segment with them is a joy to watch.” — A.H. NYC

“This movie is so adorable. I’ve had it for about 4 weeks and I just can’t stop watching it. I’m pretty good about controlling my emotions but I have to admit the first time I watched it the tears started flowing. Their love for one another seems so genuine. I thought it was going to be just another one of those fake porns but it was a true love story. This movie is a must see!” — D. Moulden-Kamau, Maryland

“It’s a film about the ache of longing to be with someone very particular, the exquisite tension of the chase, the thrill of seduction, and the disarming sweetness of romance. It’s a film about losing your heart, falling in love and in lust, and the joyous belly swooping pleasure of finding the right fit with someone who loves and desires you for who and what you are.” — L.C. Melbourne, Australia

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Tony Comstock has been a filmmaker for more than 15 years; produced films on three continents; screened and won awards on four. Topics addressed in his films have included: faith, human rights, disaster relief, and social justice. Most recently he has devoted his energy an to ongoing documentary series subtitled “Real people, Real life, Real sex.” The series addressses issues of sexuality, sexual imagery, censorship, alternative distribution and promotion, and love.

The reception for these films has ranged from winning awards at international film festivals (US, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Israel) and inclusion in the teaching materials at public health organizations (Kinsey Institute, Planned Parenthood, GMHC, SFSI) to seizure by customs authorities (Germany) and having police sent to theaters to prevent their screenings (Australia).

His latest film “Bill and Desiree: Love is Timeless” (2008) celebrates erotic love in the second half of life, and will have its US Premiere in at the Martha Stewart Center for Living at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center in a special screening for faculty and clinicians.

 
In episode 2 of “Xana and Dax: When Opposites Attract” we hear how Xana decided to take it slow. Their first night together featured a shared a shower and some heavy petting, but no sex. That didn’t happen until later, when Xana gave herself to Dax for his birthday… Enjoy!

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Reactions are coming in for our new film BILL AND DESIREE: LOVE IS TIMELESS, and I couldn’t be happier. BILL AND DESIREE is the sixth of our erotic documentaries, and from the beginning I’ve hoped that these films would be understood as something more than an erotic morsel. I’ve hoped that between the love and the loving, these films communicate something about how deeply essential and about deeply consequential sex is.

Maybe that’s asking too much from such small, simple movies. But reading how people are reacting to BILL AND DESIREE, I can’t help but feel hopeful!

AAG, still healing from a painful divorce, was especially touched by Bill’s love poem:

Near the end of the interview, Bill opened a book of poems he wrote for Desiree.  Oh no, I thought.  I cannot bear this.  Sentimentalism of any sort horrifies me.  But then Bill began to read:

A Small Poem about Tenderness

Tonight I would be the provider of solace, the caregiver,
in the face of all that had afflicted you this day.

But when you took me fully in your mouth, small,
yielding, your encompassing warmth and sweetness

without urgency or agenda, every door opened,
every hurt and hesitation was healed. I gave myself

up to you, and you gave me myself, whole and at peace.
Would you like to be inside? you asked, looking up

from your giving. And in a moment you were above me,
radiant, wordless, emptied of urgency and injury,

and this thoughtless joy rose in my bones, this joy
conceived in love, refracted in your eyes, easy as breath.

Each day, each enfolding night may we come to each other
healed, jubilant and patient, each day of all the days

we may be graced with. May no hurt ever be stronger
than the simplest act of love. May touch redeem us.

I watched with tears on my cheeks.  This is what I was missing.  This was why the divorce had to happen.  The children don’t understand now — and oh God I hope they never understand — but I know.

From Ell at Wilful Damage, a sense of seeing her own love affair with her husband of 20 years reflected in the film:

Bill and Desiree have a gorgeous calm and wise presence on camera. Viewers will empathise when they talk of the warmth and security of being loved by someone who truly knows you, being seen and heard and loved, when Desiree comments to Bill “You know me” we understand that she means deeply – “You know me.” - it’s a powerful moment. When she says, “I’ve never been loved like this, or felt this kind of love before,” I felt myself nodding in knowing agreement…

It’s a hopeful or hope filled movie – as my sweetheart and I approach middle years I guess I’m relieved and excited that love and sex can flourish no matter what age. I’ve known that in my heart, but as we rarely if ever get to actually see what real sex and real love looks like between people of any age, Bill and Desiree serves as proof for me – beautiful, life affirming, sexy proof.

From Ms.Naughty, reassurance for me why making these films matters:

In the epilogue to the sex scene, Bill and Desiree say they decided to do the film because so few people get a chance to see real intimacy. “If some people aren’t willing to be seen,” says Desiree, “how do we learn? How do we get comfortable with who we are as sexual beings?” 

Bill and Desiree: Love is Timeless is worth seeing because it’s a perfect portrayal of real sex. It’s the kind of sex I recognise, that I have and that I know other people have. The techniques may be different perhaps, but it has the same vibe, the same hotness and fun and love. The fact that this kind of movie is so rare makes it all the more valuable.

And if getting older means having sex like that, well, bring it on.

Despite living in what at times seems like a sex-saturated culture, there is still a strong undercurrent that tells us that prioritizing sex is silly and selfish. Yes, there is sex all around us, but mostly it is presented as some sort of baroque pantomime or garish burlesque. Sex is trivialized, infantilized, and mocked. As a filmmaker I feel this current pushing against me, and sometimes it feels as if it will pull me under and sweep me away. Sometime I feel foolish for devoting my life to making films about sex.

But not today.

Today I am reassured. Today I am hopeful. Today I am redeemed!

In episode 4 of “Marie and Jack,” Marie tells us why harder, faster, and deeper isn’t always better, and we see Jack’s unique technique for giving his wife love just the way she likes it! Subscribe to the Comstock Films Video Podcast at the link below!

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