Leather, neon, googly eyes and lots of naked bodies. All these are waiting to be seen in this year’s HUMP! Film Festival, and they’re just the beginning. Dan Savage’s 14th annual festival is back in Madison Saturday at the Barrymore Theater on its tour of more than 30 cities. This year, HUMP! is also touring select cities with their Best of HUMP! show with the winning submissions of each year from 2008-17.
In an effort to normalize pornography of all kinds, Savage, an advice columnist and writer, began HUMP! in Seattle in 2005. Since then, the festival has presented sexual expression in the most imaginative ways, pushing the envelope of modern porn. HUMP! showcases 21 short films featuring real people and their creative ventures into amateur porn.
In its promotion of sex positivity, the festival aims to eradicate the stigma surrounding pornography by shifting away from the male-centric, heteronormative focus of the industry. Another element to HUMP!’s ingenuity is the experience of being a part of an audience to watch porn, a largely private act. By pushing the boundaries of how porn is viewed, the festival further celebrates sexual diversity as the audience explores a variety of kinks and fantasies. Last year’s HUMP! festival was incredibly impressive with an extensive diversity of bodies, sexual orientations and races. These films create a wholly new perception of convention, one that encompasses all identities in sexual expression.
Each year, the HUMP! creators view hundreds of amateur flicks to select the ones that embody sex in the most inventive ways. With awards in categories of Best Kink, Best Sex and Best Humor, this year’s films include “Paint Party,” “Porn Yesterday,” “Optic Perve” and “Around the World in 80 Lays,” the winner of Best in Show. Loyal Madison fans and HUMP! newcomers alike are sure to be riveted. Catch the best of sex positivity this weekend!
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HUMP! Film Festival plays this Saturday at The Barrymore Theater at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
