BOSTON — Over 25 years ago at an adult internet trade show called IA2000, a producer warned filmmaker Angie Rowntree that there was no market for “porn for women.”
“Women are not visually stimulated,” the producer said. Not only that, they insisted, but women dislike porn on general principle. Certainly, they would never pay for it.
Fortunately for Rowntree and her fans, that producer was wrong.
2024 marked Sssh.com’s 25th anniversary as one of the first female-founded and -run adult film sites. Tracing back to its origins in the '90s blogosphere, Sssh.com employs a signature internal survey, granting members a platform to voice their deepest desires and directly influence content. With the resulting quarter-century of insights into the intricacies of human desires, Rowntree passionately curates each aspect of her site, where each film frame resonates with a longing, a fantasy, a shared dream. It’s helped give her films an organic, wide-ranging appeal that resonates with diverse viewers.
“Before I worked in porn, I knew about Sssh.com,” says multi-award-winning director Jacky St. James. “It represented a space for women in the adult industry where our sexuality is depicted in a natural and respected way. Angie has done so much for women’s sexual exploration, and we are so lucky to have her pioneering this space.”
Adds sociologist Dr. Chauntelle Tibbals, “Angie Rowntree has been creating porn on the internet since the '90s. A truly astounding accomplishment simply in terms of longevity, but especially if you consider just how much the industry and wider culture have changed since then.”
As Rowntree’s vision grew more ambitious and wide-ranging, she adopted an increasingly cinematic style featuring elaborate storylines and high production values. Today, she is known as an innovative filmmaker willing to take risks in thematic territories once reserved for mainstream cinema.
“Over the last decade, Angie Rowntree has become an icon in adult films with her unique, fresh, out-of-the-box style,” says Kelly Holland, CEO of ChickMedia and former owner of Penthouse. “Angie approaches her projects not from a cliched adult perspective but from a position of truth as her starting point. Her films are honest, thoughtful, and provocative.”
Rowntree says she loves exploring more challenging stories.
“I don’t believe complex themes are incompatible with erotic film,” she says. “Sex is part of the human experience, and it’s more compelling when shown in the broader context of life.”
In recent years, Sssh films have achieved an extraordinary level of acclaim, securing a prominent place in both the adult industry and the broader film community. Rowntree’s groundbreaking work has been celebrated at numerous prestigious national and international film festivals, earning over 170 awards and nominations. Non-explicit versions of her films are available on mainstream platforms, and segments have been featured in several Netflix shows and movies. This impressive tally stands as a testament to the unique blend of artistic innovation and cinematic brilliance that defines her body of work.
As we begin 2025, Rowntree is excitedly looking forward to the coming years.
“Life is about change, and while the adult industry and attitudes within and about the industry have changed a lot over the last 30 years, there are more walls that need breaking down and more doors that need opening,” Rowntree says. “My goal is to keep Sssh at the vanguard of the push to make porn more inclusive — and more ambitious in its artistry and depth of expression.”
For more information, visit Sssh.com or email press@sssh.com or editor@sssh.com.
