NOW Rating * * * * (Four Stars)
Hot Docs

Graphic Sexual Horror

Sure to be the most contentious film at this year’s festival, Graphic Sexual Horror takes an unflinching look at the defunct BDSM website Insex.com – and its middle-aged founder, PD, who hit upon the brilliant idea of getting visitors to pay to watch him indulge his sadistic kink with a parade of consenting (and much younger) submissives.

Anna Lorentzon and Barbara Bell don’t play the material for sensationalism, and give PD’s scene partners plenty of time to argue for the therapeutic benefits of their sessions. Personal issues were confronted, safe words established and limits respected – most of the time anyway.

The result is a thoroughly repulsive and utterly riveting consideration of power, control and morality – and despite the whippings, piercings and staged drowning, its most visceral moment comes from a slap in the face.

NOW | April 27-May 4, 2009 | VOL 28 NO 35
Copyright 2009 NOW Communications
Comments
Posted by Christina on 05/06/2009, 02:14 AM
"Anna Lorentzon and Barbara Bell don't play the material for sensationalism" - But it seems the material was played for just that. The title of this film is in no way ironic (a large portion of the documentary is original insex.com sex footage) with very little critical perspective, or consideration for those in the audience that might want to walk away from the documentary with something more than revulsion.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/guides/hotdocs/2009/hotdocs.cfm?content=169234