DIY Porno Coming to the Columbus

For one steamy night, porn is making a resurgence at the Columbus Theatre. On Saturday, April 30, the venue is hosting Dan Savage’s Hump Film Festival – a screening of dirty homemade movies created by regular folks with an affinity for nudity and unconventional kink. Surrounded by friends and strangers seated in the former vaudeville house, an adventuresome audience will peek into some people’s deep-rooted desires: fruit-eating fetishes, masked invaders, ejaculate-covered postal workers.

But the festival is more than simple smut. Dan Savage — the writer behind the 20-year-running Savage Love advice column, LGBTQ and political activist, and co-creator of the It Gets Better Project – founded the festival to lend a safe space for healthy sexual expression. According to the cultural figurehead, there’s a real need for something of the sort. In 2005, he asked fans to submit their own sexually charged flicks – and received hundreds of hot submissions.

Now in its 11^th year, HUMP! is about acceptance and the phenomenon is redefining conventional “porn” one viewing at a time. This year — on its third international tour with 22 new films — it promises to make viewers laugh, gasp, sweat and wriggle in their seats. And most importantly, genuinely get turned on. The iconic writer will be there in person to host the event.

“It’s rare for people to watch porn that takes them outside their comfort zones — it’s rare for people to watch porn that, if they were home alone in front of the computer, they wouldn’t choose to click on and watch,” explains Savage. “At HUMP! straight people watch gay porn, vanilla people watch kinky porn, gay people watch lesbian porn. And people laugh, they gasp, sometimes they cover their eyes. But at the end of every film people clap and cheer. It’s moving and wonderful and newcomers don’t expect it. It’s a celebration of sexual diversity.”

Note: Advance screeners of the program will be available on a limited basis. There will also be an exciting addition to the Providence programming. On Friday, April 29, Dan Savage will have a live recording of his podcast “Savage Lovecast” also at the Columbus, starting at 9pm. Dan will answer sex questions from the audience with some help from other revered freaks and “sexperts.”

For an overview of each film and tickets for both events check out: humpfilmfest.com