Despite its flamboyantly-raunchy title, Darryl’s Hard Liquor and Porn Film Festival isn’t about feting alcohol-fuelled, hardcore pornography. In fact, much of its lively output rarely strays beyond an edgier, ’70s era equivalent to a PG rating.
The long running — now in its 10th smash year — Toronto institution was formed in the living room of founder Darryl Gold, who, after challenging his tippling party guests to make their own quirky films about sex, eventually evolved the concept into the entity it is now.
With assistance from occasional filmmaker Jill Rosenberg, Darryl’s Hard Liquor and Porn Film Festival (running tomorrow night at The Bloor Cinema) literally combs the planet tracking down its 100 per cent flab-free content.
Entries must be short — the rule is under five minutes long — funny, and raise our cultural fascination — or obsession — with sex to sometimes deliriously abstract heights.
Patrons pack the theatre and are encouraged to dress in their favorite porn star outfits. It is something that, if you sneak a peek at the photos from the DHLP website, they more often than not enthusiastically embrace.
This years line-up sees saucy international romps as Trolls, a film about kids finally figuring out what goes on behind mom and dad’s closed door; Boob, a breast implant story gone wrong; and Mmilk, an animated effort that asks what would happen if King Kong and his muse Ann Darrow actually had consummated their relationship.
Showtime is 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 at the door. For more information go to hardliquorandporn.com
