Puzzy Power
Encyclopedia
Puzzy Power is a Danish film company started in 1997 as a subsidiary to Lars von Trier
's company Zentropa
, with the goal of producing hardcore
pornographic films for women. It is the only time ever a mainstream film company has openly produced hardcore porno films.
The initiative was taken by producer Lene Børglum
, who as leader of Puzzy Power gathered a group of women (sexologist Gerd Winther, editor Lili Henriksen, porn model and journalist Christina Lohse, line-producer Vibeke Windeløv and production assistant Mette Nelund) and developed a so-called "Statement on women and sensuality", later called The Puzzy Power Manifesto. The manifesto was shaped as a guide for the production of erotic films for women.
(1998), directed by Knud Vesterskov
with Katja K
ean, Anaïs
and Mark Duran in the leading roles. It tells the story of a young woman, Constance, who arrives at the experienced Lola's house, where she is initiated into the mysteries of sexuality. The story is told in flashback via a framing devise with lyrical diary excerpts and naration read by mainstream actresses Christiane Bjørg Nielsen and Hella Joof
.
with Katja K
ean and Mr. Marcus
in the leads. It's about the photo journalist Mila, who infiltrates a men's penitentiary in hope of obtaining an exclusive interview with the prison warden. The film, which culminates in a lesbian scene with religious subtext, was filmed in the prison set from Lars von Trier
s film Dancer in the Dark
(2000).
Both Constance and Pink Prison received international attention and became the best selling sex videos in Scandinavia. In 2001, Constance was nominated for three AVN Awards for Best Art Direction, Best Music and Best Videography. In 2003, Pink Prison won a Venus Award as Best Scandinavian Film. On March 12 2006 pornography was legalized in Norway, following a case which involved a positive qualitative appraisal of Constance and Pink Prison.http://medietilsynet.no/om/nyhetsarkiv/filmklagenemnda0906
and starring Ron Athey
and Billy Herrington
. In this connection, the Puzzy Power company called itself HotMale. The film was no financial success, but was nominated for five GayVN Awards, including Best Foreign Film.
announced his intention to close Puzzy Power, which he claimed had been a financial disappointment. Both Constance and Pink Prison were however still ranking high on international sales lists, and soon after HotMen CoolBoyz was released as an international deluxe DVD-edition. Puzzy Power was not closed, but continued administrating the distribution and income of its three feature productions.
The task of producing new sex films for Zentropa went to a new subsidiary (later independent) company, Innocent Pictures
. The two first productions from Innocent Pictures
were the educational DVD Femi-X and Beyond (2004), directed by Nicolas Barbano with Joan Ørting
as host, and the feature film All About Anna
(2005), directed by Jessica Nilsson
and starring Gry Bay
and Mark Stevens. In spite of a difficult production, All About Anna became an even bigger success than both Constance and Pink Prison.
The full story of Puzzy Power and Innocent Pictures
is told in Thomas Vilhelm's book Filmbyen (Ekstra Bladets Forlag, 2007).
Lars von Trier
Lars von Trier is a Danish film director and screenwriter. He is closely associated with the Dogme 95 collective, although his own films have taken a variety of different approaches, and have frequently received strongly divided critical opinion....
's company Zentropa
Zentropa
Europa is a film directed by Lars von Trier. Released in 1991, it is von Trier's third theatrical feature film and is the final film in the Europa trilogy....
, with the goal of producing hardcore
Hardcore pornography
Hardcore pornography is a form of pornography that features explicit sexual acts. The term was coined in the second half of the 20th century to distinguish it from softcore pornography. It usually takes the form of photographs, often displayed in magazines or on the Internet, or films. It can also...
pornographic films for women. It is the only time ever a mainstream film company has openly produced hardcore porno films.
The initiative was taken by producer Lene Børglum
Lene Børglum
Lene Børglum is a Danish film producer who has worked on several important films in a variety of genres, including experimental shorts, hardcore porn videos and theatrical feature films such as Lars von Trier's Golden Palm-nominated Dogville.-Career:Lene Børglum graduated in 1984 from Copenhagen...
, who as leader of Puzzy Power gathered a group of women (sexologist Gerd Winther, editor Lili Henriksen, porn model and journalist Christina Lohse, line-producer Vibeke Windeløv and production assistant Mette Nelund) and developed a so-called "Statement on women and sensuality", later called The Puzzy Power Manifesto. The manifesto was shaped as a guide for the production of erotic films for women.
Constance
The first film produced by Puzzy Power was ConstanceConstance (1998 film)
Constance is an erotic film for women, directed by Knud Vesterskov and produced by Puzzy Power, a division of Lars von Trier's film company Zentropa...
(1998), directed by Knud Vesterskov
Knud Vesterskov
Knud Vesterskov is a Danish film director who originally made his mark with a long string of experimental art films. He later wrote and directed two highly unusual hardcore feature films, Constance and HotMen CoolBoyz , both produced by Lars von Trier's company Zentropa Entertainments based in...
with Katja K
Katja K
Katja K, also known as Katja Kean , is a Danish former pornographic actress.She also starred in two adult hardcore films produced by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Lars von Trier's company Zentropa: Constance and Pink Prison .In 2002, Katja changed her stage name from "Katja Kean" to "Katja...
ean, Anaïs
Anais
Anais, Anaís, or Anaïs , is a female given name derived from the Persian goddess of love, Anahita, or its Armenian counterpart, Anahit....
and Mark Duran in the leading roles. It tells the story of a young woman, Constance, who arrives at the experienced Lola's house, where she is initiated into the mysteries of sexuality. The story is told in flashback via a framing devise with lyrical diary excerpts and naration read by mainstream actresses Christiane Bjørg Nielsen and Hella Joof
Hella Joof
Hella Joof is a Danish actress and director. She was born to a Danish mother and a Gambian father.Joof directed En kort en lang , Oh Happy Day and Fidibus and is considered one of Denmark's more important directors...
.
Pink Prison
The second film was Pink Prison (1999), directed by Lisbeth LynghøftLisbeth Lynghøft
Lisbeth Lynghøft is a Danish director of stage and screen, perhaps best known for the feature erotic film Pink Prison ....
with Katja K
Katja K
Katja K, also known as Katja Kean , is a Danish former pornographic actress.She also starred in two adult hardcore films produced by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Lars von Trier's company Zentropa: Constance and Pink Prison .In 2002, Katja changed her stage name from "Katja Kean" to "Katja...
ean and Mr. Marcus
Mr. Marcus
Mr. Marcus is an American pornographic actor. He specializes in interracial pornography.- Career :...
in the leads. It's about the photo journalist Mila, who infiltrates a men's penitentiary in hope of obtaining an exclusive interview with the prison warden. The film, which culminates in a lesbian scene with religious subtext, was filmed in the prison set from Lars von Trier
Lars von Trier
Lars von Trier is a Danish film director and screenwriter. He is closely associated with the Dogme 95 collective, although his own films have taken a variety of different approaches, and have frequently received strongly divided critical opinion....
s film Dancer in the Dark
Dancer in the Dark
Dancer in the Dark is a 2000 Danish musical drama film directed by Lars von Trier and starring Icelandic singer Björk, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse, Cara Seymour, Peter Stormare, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, and Joel Grey...
(2000).
Both Constance and Pink Prison received international attention and became the best selling sex videos in Scandinavia. In 2001, Constance was nominated for three AVN Awards for Best Art Direction, Best Music and Best Videography. In 2003, Pink Prison won a Venus Award as Best Scandinavian Film. On March 12 2006 pornography was legalized in Norway, following a case which involved a positive qualitative appraisal of Constance and Pink Prison.http://medietilsynet.no/om/nyhetsarkiv/filmklagenemnda0906
HotMen CoolBoyz
The third film was the gay feature HotMen CoolBoyz (2000), directed by Knud VesterskovKnud Vesterskov
Knud Vesterskov is a Danish film director who originally made his mark with a long string of experimental art films. He later wrote and directed two highly unusual hardcore feature films, Constance and HotMen CoolBoyz , both produced by Lars von Trier's company Zentropa Entertainments based in...
and starring Ron Athey
Ron Athey
Ron Athey is an American performance artist associated with body art and with extreme performance art. He has performed in the U.S. and internationally . Athey's work explores challenging subjects like the relationships between desire, sexuality, and traumatic experience...
and Billy Herrington
Billy Herrington
Billy Herrington is a bisexual American actor best known for his work in gay pornography.-Biography:Herrington grew up in Long Island learning karate from his father, a sensei...
. In this connection, the Puzzy Power company called itself HotMale. The film was no financial success, but was nominated for five GayVN Awards, including Best Foreign Film.
Restructuring
At the start of 2001, Zentropa's CEO Peter Aalbæk JensenPeter Aalbæk Jensen
Peter Aalbæk Jensen is a Danish film producer who in 1992 with director Lars von Trier founded the Danish film company Zentropa and later its huge studio complex Filmbyen....
announced his intention to close Puzzy Power, which he claimed had been a financial disappointment. Both Constance and Pink Prison were however still ranking high on international sales lists, and soon after HotMen CoolBoyz was released as an international deluxe DVD-edition. Puzzy Power was not closed, but continued administrating the distribution and income of its three feature productions.
The task of producing new sex films for Zentropa went to a new subsidiary (later independent) company, Innocent Pictures
Innocent Pictures
Innocent Pictures ApS is a Danish independent film company founded in 2001, originally as a subsidiary of Lars von Trier's film company Zentropa.Innocent pictures best known production is the erotic feature film All About Anna , starring Gry Bay....
. The two first productions from Innocent Pictures
Innocent Pictures
Innocent Pictures ApS is a Danish independent film company founded in 2001, originally as a subsidiary of Lars von Trier's film company Zentropa.Innocent pictures best known production is the erotic feature film All About Anna , starring Gry Bay....
were the educational DVD Femi-X and Beyond (2004), directed by Nicolas Barbano with Joan Ørting
Joan Ørting
Joan Ørting is a Danish sexologist, letter column editor and former TV-host.She edited the sexual advice letter column for the daily newspaper Ekstra Bladet, and has co-authored several self-help books on sexual topics...
as host, and the feature film All About Anna
All About Anna
All About Anna is a Danish pornographic film released in 2005, directed by Jessica Nilsson and starring Gry Bay and Mark Stevens. The film is explicit in its exploration of sexual relationships...
(2005), directed by Jessica Nilsson
Jessica Nilsson
Jessica Nilsson is a Swedish director based in Denmark; she is perhaps best known for the feature film All About Anna .She studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, and later graduated from the Danish Film School....
and starring Gry Bay
Gry Bay
Gry Wernberg Bay is a Danish actress and singer. Gry Bay is best known for her sexually provocative starring role in the feature film All About Anna .- Biography :...
and Mark Stevens. In spite of a difficult production, All About Anna became an even bigger success than both Constance and Pink Prison.
The full story of Puzzy Power and Innocent Pictures
Innocent Pictures
Innocent Pictures ApS is a Danish independent film company founded in 2001, originally as a subsidiary of Lars von Trier's film company Zentropa.Innocent pictures best known production is the erotic feature film All About Anna , starring Gry Bay....
is told in Thomas Vilhelm's book Filmbyen (Ekstra Bladets Forlag, 2007).