S&M judge opens CineKink

S&M Judge is to open the seventh CineKink film festival in New York (16-21 February). The award-winning drama, which will also be making its US premiere at the festival, is also in the running for the Audience Choice Award.

Lisa Vandever, co-founder and director of CineKink, described S&M Judge as ‘a beautiful and moving account of the conflict many face in balancing their sexual desires with societal views of what is “normal” – and with outmoded legal restrictions that are still on the books in many communities.’ She said Cinekink is proud to give the film its US premiere and present it to their audiences. 

Last year the film, which Variety’s Boyd Van Hoeij described as ‘a soberly shot but captivating debut by Belgian writer-helmer Erik Lamens,’ also had its international premiere at the Montréal World Film Festival. It went on to win several awards at the Fetish Film Festival in Kiel: Best Film of the Year, Best Actor (Gene Bervoets) and Best Actress (Veerle Dobbelaere).

The film is based on a true story that made headlines in Belgium about a decade ago. When judge Koen feels that his marriage is falling apart, he and his wife decide to explore her secret desires in order to save their marriage. Together they push their sexual boundaries until finally the couple is trapped in a spiral of ever more excessive needs and they cannot escape the world of pimps, jealousy and treachery.

Fest director Vandever describes CineKink's mission as 'recognising and encouraging the positive depiction of sexuality and kink in film and television.' In the past the festival has hosted such films as Shortbus; Lust, Caution; and Kinsey.

Producers of the film are Bert Hamelinck, Kato Maes and Frank Van Passel for Caviar.