More than just sex

The majority do it, very few talk about it publicly: Watch porn films. On the one hand, this is of course due to the content of the films. But the mostly cheap and loveless way in which porn films are made may also contribute to the collective silence. Filmmaker Noel Alejandro proves that erotic films can also be aesthetically pleasing.

 

Director Noel Alejandro tackles a wide variety of themes in his films: Violence, loneliness, depression. But what unites them is the sex that the male actors invariably have with each other. And this is not just hinted at, but shown explicitly.

 

Because Alejandro makes erotic films. What sets these films apart from most porn films à la PornHub and the like is the way they are made. The films are shot professionally; Alejandro's film crew consists of over 20 people. Lighting, sound and camera - everything is designed to create a harmonious picture.

 

And it always takes a while before the performers even have sex. Alejandro himself says that he doesn't just want to create art, but also to tell a story. The sex scenes also differ from most mainstream porn. His films are not uninhibited and brutal, but usually very human and intimate.

 

In the interview, the Berlin-based filmmaker reveals why he finds it difficult to describe his films as porn, how he creates intimacy on set and whether he sometimes watches mainstream porn himself.

 

What motivated you to make erotic films?

I've hardly seen any gay porn that was beautifully produced, that actually had a storyline. And when there was a plot, it usually resembled a parody. I always had the feeling that the makers of this porn didn't take their own work seriously. That's exactly what I wanted to change.

 

However, you don't usually describe your films as porn, but as erotic films. Why is that?

The mainstream porn that we find on popular websites is just a means to an end for most viewers. I hope that viewers don't just watch my films for the sex scenes, but also for the story that is told. We also have a large crew who do everything they can to ensure that our films meet aesthetic standards. My films are not just about showing two people having sex with each other. The sex is always part of a bigger story. And yet my films are also porn for me. But I sometimes have problems labelling them as such. The term porn has negative connotations; most people associate it with something dirty.

 

So you are also concerned with changing our viewing habits. Yet in your films we mostly only see men who conform to a conventional ideal of beauty.

I don't necessarily see it that way. In mainstream gay porn, we see hyper-masculine, pumped-up men. In my films you also see thin and untrained men. For me, it's more important that the actors exude charisma in front of the camera.

 

So you find mainstream porn problematic?

I don't find it problematic per se, but I do think that we need alternatives to what we find on the internet. Porn can be something beautiful and more than just sex.

 

In your films, you include at the beginning that the protagonists are tested for sexually transmitted diseases and can decide for themselves whether or not to use condoms. Why is it important for you to share this information with the audience?

 

When you produce and release a film, you educate your viewers in a way. Many people use porn as a tool for sex education. I did the same thing when I was younger. I incorporated things I saw in porn into my sex life. That's why I think filmmakers have a certain responsibility.

 

Speaking of your viewers: Who actually watches your films?

Mainly men who like men between the ages of 25 and 35. But many women also watch my films - that surprised me.

 

Do you sometimes watch mainstream porn yourself?

Sure. They just have to be authentic. If I have the feeling that I'm not getting to see real sex, then I turn the film off.

 

You want to portray the sex in your film as naturally as possible. How do you achieve this when the performers are being watched by a film crew of several people?

When the actors have sex, we try to have as few people on set as possible. I also don't give them any instructions. I just let the performers have sex and am a silent observer.

 

Sometimes things go wrong during sex. You can't get it up or you come too quickly. How do you deal with it when something like that happens on set?

If an actor can't concentrate and can't get it up, the whole film crew usually leaves the set. Miraculously, everything works again within minutes. If someone can't come, it's not so bad - then that person doesn't come. We don't necessarily have to show an ejaculation in the film.

Click here to visit Noel Alejandro's website: https://www.noelalejandrofilms.com