AMSTERDAM — In commemoration of International Women's Day earlier this month, and its theme this year of "Choose to Challenge," Blue Artichoke Films has released "Wild Card," an adult title created with the aim to "challenge common beliefs about gender and sexuality."
"Traditionally, women in popular culture are portrayed as interested in romance, and men as interested in sex. Blue Artichoke believes that for people of all genders, sex can be a huge part of our lives and what we care about," explained a rep.
"Wild Card," featuring Bishop Black and Kali Sudhra, is described as a "playful, improvised film inspired by an intriguing card game. Hidden around the room are playing cards, each revealing a surprising nonsexual body part, like 'elbow.' Together the two must devise experiments around the cards, and they creatively explore sensation with shared warmth and good humor. Their collaborations grow more daring and the heat builds between them."
"Wild Card" is director and Blue Artichoke founder Jennifer Lyon Bell's follow-up to her "breakout film 'Adorn,'" which, the rep explained, is also an erotic game with "a completely different game and different couple. Her films provide a distinctly modern approach to sexuality; no longer can we assume we know what our partners want, just because of their gender or presentation."
Bell noted, as a culture, we still "lack the vocabulary to defy the 'typical sexual script.' We generally assume sex consists of the same handful of acts always in the same order. So many people feel isolated and alone because they fear that something is wrong with them. Little do they know that so many other people feel just the same, for no reason. The script is what’s broken, not us."
"I wanted to show that great sex is truly a shared improvisation, not a fixed menu," Bell continued. "Every moment [is] a surprise, not knowing exactly what will happen next. Through this simple card game, I could divert the actors’ attention away from the typical sexual script. I wanted their improvisation to encourage them to experiment and communicate about other bodily sensations while engaging with the game.”
Find a trailer and additional details about "Wild Card" at BlueArtichokeFilms.com and follow Jennifer Lyon Bell on Twitter.