7th Biennial San Francisco Sex Worker Film and Arts Festival: Sex Worker Movies at the Roxie 3117 16th Street, San Francisco

Saturday, May 28th, 2011

In Progress: Some changes may be made over the next week.
PSAs and some shorts have not been listed yet.

Curated by Laure McElroy

2PM	Cages and Consent Co-presented by CUAV, Community United Against Violence	Work and sex can both be life-affirming, can both be meaningful, can both  be fun... and both activities can hurt our spirits if we do not do what we  do by choice. Where do you draw your line? Cages and Consent is a  collection of movies that confronts liminal issues of work, sex, economics, violence and consent, lensed through the experiences of both  sex professionals and of civilians in the pleasure arts alike. From a working gal who vets her employment history in terms of „soul power", to  testimonies from Lusty Ladies, ex- worker Dr. Carol Queen and other activist-pros seminal to the movement; from an intimate look at some of the challenges faced by survival sex workers in Vancouver, to a poetic and  bleak vision of sex work submitted by a woman pimped into the job by  economic adversity; from one woman‚s journey across a country and over an  ocean to make sense of a rape, to a reclamation of whore-red lipstick and  a brutal wresting-away of the pleasure one beau takes in wearing a sharp  suit for his beloved... Cages and Consent explores all sides and the  middle of a very wide line.-Laure McElroy
	Shorts, TBA
	Working Girl Blues	by Damien Luxe Kitchen worker at a convent... Vintage retail bitch... Secretary at an ivy league university... SEX WORKER! A jane of all trades evaluates her curriculum vitae in this soulful short. (4 min.-2009)
	Sex Workers: Your Voice Counts	by Julianne Carroll Giving voice to our unique experiences can be a powerful affirmation of our humanity, yet the stigmatization of sex work in the world makes sharing personal knowledge of our professions with the world a dangerous act. Hometown San Francisco pros Abby, Bella, Cinnamon, and Carol Queen raise their voices and throw up the challenge: here we are, and we will be heard! (13 min- San Francisco, 2010)
	Journey Women:Reflections on the Survival Sex Trade	by Leigh Jen Fisher PACE (Providing Alternatives, Counseling and Education) Society produces this moving documentary by and about survival sex workers based in Vancouver’s downtown east side, the same area serial killer Robert Pickton, who targeted sex workers, used as a hunting ground. Women who work and have worked Vancouver’s mean streets speak about being trafficked by poverty, losing and regaining family in the midst of economic and social marginalization, and the need for services and treatment that are not exclusive of the choice to work the streets. (45 min.-Vancouver, 2006)
	All That Sheltering Emptiness	by Gina Carducci, Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore A meditation on elevators, hotel lobbies, hundred dollar bills, the bathroom, a cab, chandeliers, cocktails, the receptionist, arousal, and other routines in the life of a NYC call boy. (7 min.-New York, 2010)
	The Line	by Nancy Schwartzman A young woman survivor of acquaintance rape explores issues of power, accountability, sexual negotiation and consent, and invites the viewer along with her in this powerful piece, as she travels from New York to Israel to confront her attacker.(30 min.-2009)
	Red Lips: Cages for Black Girls	by Kyisha Williams black.queer.sexy.slut.cherry.red.locked up.locked down.black.whore.red lips.justice.Red Lips. This movie begins to explore black/racialized/criminalized/queer/trans/identity and its relationship with the prison industrial complex. It articulates links between interpersonal and systemic violence- while celebrating the ways in which we survive and celebrate ourselves. (16 Min.- 2010)
4 PM	Personal and Political	Our bodies are our place of business, so is it any surprise if our political tends to be a little bit more personal than everyone else’s? From a brisk stroll through the city with one dominatrix and her box-on-wheels, to a concise analysis of the real story behind trafficking hysteria in one European city taken over by a major sporting event, sex workers use expertise and tell stories gleaned from personal experience to inform, instruct, entertain and uplift; “The Personal and the Political” reels out visions and vignettes by powerful pros from the USA, Canada, Cambodia, Germany and Sweden.-Laure McElroy
	Humor Me	by Billie Rain and Basil Short video that juxtaposes hilarious sex worker anecdotes with a 1950's era morality rant --- a recipe for fun! (9 min.-2010)
	At Last	by Leanne Gillard Mysterious journey of a Lady and her box, scored with the song of the same name sung by the first lady of jazz, Ella Fitzgerald.(3:33-2011)
	Frida's Informal Economy	by M. Jackalinksi A day in the life of Frida and Milo, who accept offerings of stories and food in trade for sex, and work out of vans parked next to the local ice cream cart drug dealer in a deserted strip mall in Tucson. (9 min. -2010)
	Every Ho I Know Says So: A Resource for Lovers, Partners and Sweeties of Sex Workers	by Lusty Day and Beef Jerky Being in an intimate relationship with a sex worker does not make a person miraculously immune to the internalized stigma society lays on sex workers, or on their life partners. This short is a radical teaching response by sex workers to the total lack of accessible resources for people looking for advice on how to be a good date or lover or partner to a sex worker. In love with a pro? WATCH THIS VIDEO !! (9:24 min.-2010)
	Who's Your Boss	by Maxine Doogan; Photos by Joie Cohen Featured on "Stories for Change" this tour de force juxtaposes the personal and political. (2:26 min.- San Francisco, 2009)
	Recommendation 86	by PJ Starr Recommendation 86 is one of 200 recommendations the United States received from the Human Rights Council at the United Nations this year. Recommendation 86 calls on the Obama administration to “…ensure access to public services paying attention to the special vulnerability of sexual workers to violence and human rights abuses.” This is the first time the US has been internationally called upon to address its insensitivity to the long-neglected issues faced by sex workers. PJ Starr produced this PSA-style short video to paint a bullseye on the issue. (39 sec.-2011)
	Right to Be:A film about sex work in the Caribbean	by Marguerite Newland  A film from Caribbean Treatment Action Group and the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition about the problems faced by sex workers in the Caribbean. There is a focus on migrant workers, HIV, abuse from the state, stigma and discrimination from the community and efforts to overcome them.(16 min.- 2010)
	Sex Workers World Cup	by Christina Schäfer; Tanja Chawla; Doro Wiese Just before the World Cup 2006, Germany was overrun by the rumour that 40.000 women were going to be traf€cked into Germany for forced prostitution. This short €lm tries to grasp how the discourse came about, and what the realities were for sex workers during the games. (28:10- 2010)
	Somaly Uh-Uh: Bad Rehab	by Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers Barbie goes pro, goes Gaga and goes radical all at once! The activist dollies of APSWN tell a harrowing stop motion story of street raids, imprisonment and brutality designed to "reeducate" Cambodian sex workers, outrages all sponsored by the Cambodian government and anti-trafficking fraudster Somaly Mam. (4:56 min- 2010)
	Nothing About Us Without Us	by Audacia Ray The sex work and harm reduction communities are natural allies, sharing a regard for safety and quality of life over moralizations. Beyond being allied communities many sex workers are also injection drug users, including users of controlled substances and transgender women and men who inject hormones. Throughout the US, both communities are targeted with similarly discriminatory laws that create harm instead of giving people better opportunities to reduce risks and lead more healthful lives. This short public service announcement video combines the voices of two powerful movements and illustrates the value of building alliances. (1:56 min.- 2010)
	The Good Women of Taipei	by Yann-Shan Tsai, Zita Jeng, Wei-Fen Lin The Good Women of Taipei is a unique and beautifully constructed juxtaposition of the lives of two sex worker activists, one from COSWAS in Taipei and one from Sweden. From very different perspectives, both women come together in their dedication to sex worker rights, traveling between Taipei and Sweden. The film maker explores their very divergent identities as sex workers, in this reflective saga.(44:46 min.- 2009)
	Sex Workers WANT to Stop Trafficking	by Serpent Libertine with SWOP, Sex Workers Outreach Project Sex workers and advocates for sex workers say why it's important to include them, and their clients, in the fight against sex trafficking. They ARE part of the solution, but criminalization and harassment by law enforcement often prevents them from doing so. (3:22 min.-2011)
6:15PM
	A Day in Her Life	by Voices of Women Media "A Day In Her Life" is a multimedia workshop for sex workers in Amsterdam's Red Light District. It consists of 6 short videos - self portraits from different women who work in the windows of the Red Light.A compilation of short movies made by sex workers in the Netherlands through the Voices project. "Our goal is to use media to create a more humanised and multi-faceted picture of the sex industry. We want to show this industry as a complex fabric, composed both of women workers who are entitled to demand their rights as workers and women who have been forced into the industry. Many people looking in from the outside have quite a polarised view. Women are either victims, or they are making choices. But as in any other area of life, there are many grey zones. 18:00 min.- 2010)
	Los Caminos	by Chantal n "Los Caminos (The Pathways)", glamazon director Chantal recalls the aspirations she held before her sex work career began, and her present-day realization that her choice of sex work as a career has enabled her to live her dreams to the fullest. (2:45 min.- 2010)
	Here Starts My Day	by Valerie This sweet  vignette artfully follows Valerie through her intimate morning rituals, from morning prayer to dental hygiene. Sex workers are real people...beyond, beyond the stereotypes.
	Lady in the Street	by Raquel This video illustrates the soundtrack, "Lady in the streets, freaky in the bedroom." as Raquel displays the accoutroment of her work in Amsterdam's red light districk windows. The visual montage  reflects the relationship between viewer and subject echoing the dynamics of window sex work.
	Wandering The World	by Alina In this artful, poetic and nostaligc collage, Alina discusses her migrant journeys "Who am I? Maybe one of you that hopes for a better life."
	Drowning	by Anonymous What is consent without the privilege of options? Anonymously directed short "Drowning" uses story narration and poignant, haunting images to communicate the spiritual damage done when one woman becomes a sex worker not out of choice, but out of economic desperation. (2:24-2010)
	Secret of My Life	by Tatiana Melendez Tatiana tells the story of her awarness of her gender identity with the soundtrack, I Did It My way..
	Hey F*ckFace	by Amber Dawn Dreamy video poem that recounts one woman's career evolution from massage parlor sex work to adult fetish. (4:15min.-  2008)
	Mutantes	by Virgen Despentes Made up of about twenty interviews filmed in the United States, Paris and Barcelona, and documents from the archives about the political action of sex workers, queer activists and performances of another kind, 'Mutantes: Punk Porn Feminism' is a documentary by writer-director Virginie Despentes ('Rape Me', 'King Kong Theory'), which gives the floor to pro-sex activists and follows the evolution of the movement from the 80s to the present.(91 min. - 2010)
8:00PM
	Sex on Wheels	by Jennifer Worley San Francisco is known for having a fierce sex worker movement, but not many people realize how integral the business of sex was and is to the history and shaping of the City. From a business-savvy expat French jade, to strippers who hold the picket line like Teamsters, meet revolutionary San Francisco whores past and present in this film of a great street theater (and cardio) event! Some featured personages: famous madame Ah Toy and her parlor of sing-song girls; former slave turned sex entrepreneur Mary Ellen Pleasant, the proceeds of whose house of ill-repute went to the Underground Railroad; Sally Stanford, whore, madame, and mayor of Sausalito; JP Marat, charismatic hustler and gay/trans youth activist; and the inimitable Valerie Solanis teaching on her “SCUM Manifesto.” (38:25 min-San Francisco, 2011)
	Transfrancisco	by Glenn Davis "Trans-" is more than being one gender trapped in the body of another; it's the day-to-day living that goes with it. What does it mean to live each day outside of the lines of traditionally accepted gender roles? How do we find companionship? How do we avoid brutal assaults? How do we earn a living? Local transfolk tell their own stories of family, aspirations, love, transition and living in this beautifully crafted documentary. (54 min.-San Francisco, 2010)
10PM	Titty Fuck Me	by Sion Shankel  Bold, beautiful drag queen Trauma Flintstone knows exactly what she wants from her man, and tells us all... in song! (5:33 min.- San Francisco, 2009)
	Devious, Inc.	Produced by Samantha Sullivan; Directed by xuxE All his life our hero dreamed of glamour, riches, success and fabulous hair, instead of "shoe farming" (really...shoe farming). He rescues his pals from their bleak lives as "shoe whores" and turns them into "the kind of whores they really want to be." Of course he has to compete with the most powerful fetish escort business on the planet in a surreal fetish show. Devious, Inc. has it all: kinky costumes, a brilliant, memorable score, thrilling song and dance numbers, wrestling bondage mistresses and a "Wheel of Fetish." Features Sex Worker Fest sweethearts, Kitten on The Keys, BeBe Sweetbriar and the amazing composer/director, xuxE. Devious, Inc.is an important work, leading the way for a new genre of San Francisco indy cinema, made and informed by our own queer/trans/kink/sex worker folks. (83 min.- San Francisco, 2011)
	GLITTERACTION!	A Radical Queerlesque Cabaret Alone, a fleck of glitter is just a glint--a tiny glimmer in your eye. Collectively, glitter creates a shimmery revelation of joy and jubilee. Using the power of art and sparkle to create beauty and to challenge ourselves and others, our collective infiltrates and liberates. En masse, they are GLITTERACTION!
Midnight	Trans Entities: The Nasty Love of Papi and Wil	by Morty Diamond;starring Papi, Wil and Cris Papi and Wil are a perverted, loving, polyamorous couple who identify as trans entities, a term they have coined to describe their gender identity. Armed with his camera, Morty Diamond set out to capture this couple in a multifaceted way, from revealingly personal interviews to fun nights on the town. The three sex scenes in this movie, including one with a third person, were shot cpmpletely undirected, allowing the viewer an engagingly raw look into their uninhibited exploration of role playing, BDSM and lots of hot fucking. (2007)
	Bordello	by Courtney Trouble, Radical Queer Productions The homicide may be a mystery, but there are no kinky secrets or forbidden fuck fantasies that go unexplored in this plot-heavy porno. Whodunit? They all “do it!” Full of funny one-liners, this carnal yet campy feature from award-winning director Courtney Trouble, with guest videographer and Alt Porn Guru Eon Mckai, is destined to be a cult classic. Starring April Flores, Billy Castro, Sarah Lee Sinful, Carson, Tina Horn, Sophia St. James, Jolene Parton, Vid Tuesday, and James Darling. (San Francisco, 2010)

Additional Screenings; Movies will also be screened at festival events including Roaming Hookerfest, Last Minute MiniFest, St. James Infirmary Tour

	What I Love About Being A Sex Worker	by Serpent Libertine / redlightdistrictchicago.com Sex Workers tell us what they love most about their work! (5:47 min- 2010)
After Modern Day Asian Sex Slavery: the Musical, Thursday	Her BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!	by Mariko Passion Sex Worker artist Mariko Passion gets the birthday present of her LIFE when her hot Latina porn star friend decides to get drunk and give her the best birthday present a horny bisexual sex worker artist who always wanted to be in porn could EVER dream of! Cassandra Cruz has worked in over 200 films who spends time doing oil paintings on canvas of her porn star friends, preparing for the day when art will be her full time job. The two met poking each other on Facebook and this piece is genuine cinema verite! Cassandra and Mariko are still good friends and both still live and do sex work in Southern California. (2010)
Last Minute MiniFest	Torn	by PJ Starr Times are hard in Sexxxy's town, the cops harassing, the stroll not paying and a new law is being drafted that will ruin things for everyone. With a little help from her friends she finds stability and success on boom-boom-room.com until an unexpected betrayal challenges her comfortable new existence. A political education puts her in the driver's seat but she cannot help but be torn by the decision she has to make. (56 min. - 2011)
St. James Infirmary Tour	Rights Not Rescue	Sex workers are subjected to widespread human rights abuses, including police violence and unequal access to health care, in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Despite enormous challenges, they are organizing to protect their rights and demand an end to violence and discrimination. Rights Not Rescue, a report published by the Open Society Institute, is based on a series of interviews and focus groups with sex workers and advocates throughout the three countries. In this animated short film, sex workers who participated in the research tell their personal stories and collectively call for hope and change. (9 min-2010)
St. James Infirmary Tour	The Right Guide	by Aim For Human Rights This video is an introduction to The RighT guide, a tool for NGOs and community based groups to assess the human rights impact of anti-trafficking laws, policies and measures. The RighT guide was made in response to "increasing concerns of anti-trafficking, sex workers rights and migrant workers rights activists and organizations that many anti-trafficking measures not only fail to protect the rights of trafficked persons, but actually do harm by undermining or negatively affecting the human rights of the people affected by those policies." (3:17 min.- Amsterdam, 2010)
Last Minute MiniFest	My Friend Scarlot Harlot, a psychodrama documentary	Directed, Produced and Edited by Dee Dee Russell My Friend Scarlot Harlot is a short dramatic film about the decades long friendship & collaboration between San Francisco based artists Carol Leigh aka Scarlot Harlot and Dee Dee Russell of Dee Dee TV fame. African American Russell is an avid supporter of Scarlot's Sex Worker Rights crusade but she has never been a sex worker while self proclaimed "Jewish American Princess" Scarlot created the 7th San Francisco Sex Worker Film AND coined the term SEX WORK. Using three decades of video & film footage from their award winning and underground collaborations plus posters articles & memorabilia this is a touching funny and sexy historical San Francisco document with interviews, nudity, song and dance, demonstrating the positive effects of multi-racial sisterhood. Camera by Richard Lefrak, Scarlot Harlot and Dee Dee Russell, w ith Scarlot Harlot, Dee Dee Russell, Stoney Burke, Sonia Songa, Dave O and Four Winds (14 min.- San Francisco, 2011)
Last Minute MiniFest	The Cowboy	by Margie Schnibbe Margie reminisces about a regular client from her past profession as a dominatrix in an S/M Housewith the help of some retro doms from the Prelinger archives. (6:43 min.-2010)
ISt. James Infirmary Tour	Sex Workers Rights in Macedonia: You Must Know About Me	by HOPS & Witness In Macedonia, as throughout the world, sex workers are pushed to the margins of society by a combination of prejudice, discrimination, and violence. Yet, the fact that a person sells sexual services cannot be used as justification for the denial of their fundamental rights, to which all human beings are entitled. “You Must Know About Me” is a first-hand account of sex workers’ experiences and aspirations off and on the streets. While dealing with harassment and violence from clients, pimps, and the police, sex workers strive to counter hostile public attitudes by speaking out and fighting for their rights. The video calls for zero tolerance of violence against sex workers and the coordinated response of institutions to the actual needs of sex workers. (6:09 min.-2009)
Last Minute MiniFest	FOOTAGE FROM THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES: A sex worker activist love story	Producer/Director Mariko Passion;Ass’t Director JGS Footage from the days of the life of sex worker activist Mariko Passion, “educacted whore and urban geisha” as she documents her life’s obstacles from the month of May 2009. This chapter reveals the POV perspective of herself and ex-boyfriend turned driver/documentarian. This film reveals some of the complications that a sex worker relationship might encounter in a typical year. Preventing violence, STDs and criminalization while making a decent living can be hard work, even for the of strongest whore revolutionaries. Mariko Passion is an artist, activist and performer and lives and works in Los Angeles, Ca. (10:33 min -2009)
Last Minute MiniFest	Sex, Drugs, & Student Loans:	Producer, Director, Editor, & Cinematographer & Animation: Meg Smaker Chronicles the lives of three women in university and their struggles with the rising cost of higher education. Insightful, sexy, and honest..."selling yourself" is finally redefined! Walk through the Ivy league gates and into a world of debt and financial despair. Welcome to higher education in the year 2011. Welcome to a world of escorts, prostitutes, and drug dealers. Welcome to the world of Sex, Drugs, & Student Loans" (15 min.- 2011)

 

 

If you are interested in volunteering/ushering for May 28th or other festival events, please call 503-348-7666, email sexworkerfest(at)gmail.com and visit our volunteer sign up page at http://www.sexworkerfest.com/swfest2011/volunteer2011.html.