Every Monday, The CSPH takes a look at a book or film focusing on an aspect of sexuality. This week we are featuring “Five Hot Stories for Her,” written and directed by Erika Lust.
“Five Hot Stories for Her” features five pornographic shorts that were made to be women- and couple-friendly, individually titled “Something About Nadia”, “JODETECARLOS.COM”, “Married with Children”, “The Good Girl”, and “Breakup Sex”. The film “won Best Screenplay at the Festival of Erotic Cinema in Barcelona 2007, Best Film for Women at the Erotic E-Line Awards (Berlin 2007), obtained an Honourable Best Mention at the CineKink Festival (New York 2008) and was awarded Best Movie of the Year at the Feminist Porn Awards (Toronto 2008),” according to the FiveHotStoriesforHer website.
Containing a compilation of potential sexual orientations and desires, the film includes scenes depicting heterosexual intercourse between a “good girl” and a pizza delivery guy, a gay couple engaging in their last sexual encounter, a married couple balancing a busy working/parenting life with incredibly hot and kinky sex, and more. Some may find it problematic and limiting that this film was marketed for women and couples, not only restricting what constitutes a woman, but also limiting the kinds of desires, orientations and gender identities that those women have. However, I’d also point out that the film has the potential to reach many people who may be uncomfortable with mainstream porn but are interested in seeing something “made for them,” and/or those who want pornography that they feel can be watched with partners while knowing that it is marketed as feminist and that everything depicted in the film is consensual.
“Five Hot Stories for Her” includes versions of the film in multiple language settings, varying body types and races (though the characters are all fit, meet the traditional mainstream beauty standards, and are able-bodied), female bodies with tattoos and piercings, beautiful accents, food, wine, sex toys, and many other awesome characteristics. This may all seem very radical to some people, but to others, it may feel as though their identities are mis- or under-represented. I would recommend this film to someone who is new to pornography or isn’t totally comfortable with watching it but is curious and wants something on the (really super hot!) safer side, particularly people who identify as straight and cisgender and who enjoys the idea that actual stories are embedded in the film.
Just so you have an idea of what you are going to see if you purchase this film, some important things to note that are included are:
Lesbian, gay and heterosexual sex (mostly heterosexual)
Lingerie
Sex toys
Alcohol use before play
BDSM
Cheating
Real orgasms
Cunnilingus
Analingus
Masturbation
Circumcised penises
Use of words like “bitch” and “fag”
Overall, “Five Hot Stories for Her” was made realistically and tastefully. The stories are genuinely interesting, easy to follow, and all very different. This would be a great film to bring home to your partner(s) when you feel like getting playful and supporting a great feminist erotic filmmaker. “Five Hot Stories for Her” can be purchased here, where you can also find more information about Erika Lust’s other products and Lust Films and Publications of Barcelona.
