Come enjoy ‘Orgasm’A
Film on guilt-free masturbation
For many reasons, masturbation, for many people, is more than just a 12-letter word. South Africans for the most part emanate from Christian schooling and many of us were taught that any onanistic indulgence is devil's work. Or will at least result in blindness or hairy palms.
Socially, it remains one of those taboo subjects rather left undiscussed on a par with incest, necrophilia or that unnamed uncle in jail. Well, thanks to courageous young graduates from Afda, this subject is brought to light in Orgasm, which will be screened at the Knysna Film Festival next week.
Produced by Bre'anne Holz and directed by Gueorgui Haralampiev, the film follows the path of a young university student in current-day South Africa who is unable to find a satisfying way to pleasure herself due to her constant fear that the people around her will find out about her "dirty secret".
She pulls herself through a nightmarish journey of confronting the trauma behind her shame and pain after she is paid a compliment about her beauty that she perceives the wrong way. She has to surface from the journey with acceptance and love for herself and the ability to finally be able to reach climax. The film discusses the idea that it is healthy and normal to explore your own body and sexuality; that although a much-accepted act, there still lingers a taboo around female masturbation which is really just an activity that helps a woman realise her true self-love and worth.
After 10 nominations and an award for best screenplay at Afda's film awards, Orgasm gets its first premiere beyond the borders of the film school at the Knysna Film Festival from 29 October to 2 November at various venues in Knysna. (See adjacent programme on page 10.) – Staff reporter