Saturday, April 16, 2011 Bar Sinister was rocked by the Awards Ceremony for the first annual Los Angeles Fetish Film Festival, and it was a night to not only congratulate the winners of this year’s event, but also a time for the city’s hottest performers and artists to converge in an outpouring of creative solidarity.
People of every artistic persuasion came to celebrate the first time ‘The City of Angels’ has been treated to a public glimpse of the underground fetish movement that has been working its way around the world for the past decade. Devotees of the genre came from as far abroad as Europe to sample the cinematic delights of the highly stylized and deeply personal films.
Independent film reviewer and G4 regular, Chris Gore was exuberant as he quipped, “I see a lot of movies, and sometimes I feel abused watching them. I feel beaten down. . . and not in a good way. The Los Angeles Fetish Film Festival is the first time I actually enjoyed it!”
Gracing the red carpet were dozens of beautiful fetish models displaying the haute couture of latex virtuoso Venus Prototype. Among the divas modeling these stunning designs were Courtney Cruz, Emily Marilyn, Josi Kat, Iza La Vamp, Goddess Sativa and Scar.
Also in attendance was a who’s who of LA counter culture performers and celebrities, including performance group Sex and Metal who blew away the audience with an elaborate stage show, director and producer Master Liam, actress Elizabeth Aston, director Penny Antine, bands Blood on the Dance Floor and Murder By Television, Fetish Master Simon Blaze, Dissident Poet and author, Dennis Cruz and American Fetish’s Nylon Girls.
Erik Von Gutenberg, publisher and front runner in the new fetish movement, was in high spirits as he worked his way through the crush of congratulations at the end of the evening. “When Michael Simmons came to me with this idea, I thought ‘Had this not been done before?’ It is obvious from the reaction of the people that are here tonight, that it is a huge success. There are hundreds of people in this club that are seeing this form of entertainment for the very first time.”
Event Producer Michael Simmons said, “I felt there was a need in this remarkably creative community for a festival that would embrace the very large, very intense fetish movement in contemporary culture. And we were proven correct by the sold out festival. This inaugural international celebration of fetish in fashion, culture and films was exceptionally well received by the community. You could not move in the club after 11 o’clock. This was a sold out event.”
Winners of the 2011 Los Angeles Fetish Film Festival are;
Best Short – ‘A Woman Under the Veil’, directed by Bobbie Kitchens
Best Documentary – ‘Love, Hugs & Kisses’, directed by Mrs. G
Olivia’s Choice – ‘Project Morning Star’, directed by Grant Wheeler
Directors’ Choice – ‘Lick Me’, directed by James Avalon
New Vision Award – Director Jee, for shorts ‘The Client’, ‘Eisenhower’ and ‘The Assignment’
The Blue Movie Award – ‘Blind Love’, directed by James Avalon
Best Feature – ‘Indetrio’, written and directed by Vivian Darkbloom
Judges for the 2011 Los Angeles Fetish Film Festival were, Michael Simmons, fashion fetish photographer Alejandra Guerrero, fetish photographer Eric Kroll, Master Liam, Dr. Susan Block and burlesque diva, Olivia Bellafontaine. The Official Media Sponsor for the event was von Gutenberg Media. Other esteemed sponsors included, American Fetish, LA Decadence, Gold Sponsor Stockroom, who provided the VIP gift bags, Extreme Restraints, FetBiz and KinkEvents.