THE 3rd CHERRY POP FESTIVAL
Story behind Cherry Pop Festival 2024 edition
In its third edition, the Cherry Pop Festival continues to promote open dialogue on the phenomenon of human sexuality. The festival will be held from November 21 to 23 at Dokukino KIC and Pogon in Zagreb, featuring a rich program of films, interactive workshops, an exhibition, artistic performances, expert panels, and an erotic quiz.
This year’s edition of the festival is titled “Sex and S(t)imulation” and explores the complex and evolving relationship between objects, virtual reality, and human sexuality. In an era where digital platforms like Tinder, pornographic sites, and OnlyFans shape how young people experience desire and intimacy, Cherry Pop Festival aims to stimulate critical discussions and explore new aspects of sexuality through artistic works.
Sweet Cherries short film competition
In the competitive film program Sweet Cherries, the audience will have the opportunity to watch 16 international short films, some of which have been screened at the Locarno Film Festival, Toronto Film Festival, and Vancouver Film Festival.
These films provide insight into themes such as a couple’s struggle with infertility, the complex nature of breakups, societal prejudices towards gay couples, and the history of queer representation in the region. Intimate documentaries touch on sincere confessions from members of the BDSM community, showing how new sexual peaks can be reached even later in life. Issues of anxiety, rejection, excessive sexual expectations, and silent but devastating breakups are part of a shared simulacrum which we don’t always navigate successfully.
The jury for this year’s film program includes Renata Lučić (director), Tihana Lazović (actress), and guest of the festival Nikola Ljuca (director).
Cherry Pick
The accompanying film program Cherry Pick opens on Thursday with the provocative and educational “Raw! Uncut! Video!” (winner of the best documentary prize at the GAZE International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Porn Film Festival Vienna, Hacker Porn Film Festival) providing an example of sexual positivity within the porn industry.
On Friday, the FilmMaudit 2.0 Festival (Los Angeles), which promotes bold, avant-garde, extreme and unusual filmmaking, will curate a guest screening block, showing unconventional films that offer an insight into the diversity of forms sexual s(t)imulation takes for different people.
The final Cherry Pick screening block showcases two Croatian films and one international title: Ivan Turković Krnjak’s narrative short “Lovebox” depicts the modern pathos of loneliness often filled by wandering in the world of online dating, Igor Bezinović’s documentary “Lovetts” offers a glimpse into the life of a couple working in the porn industry, and Rock Brenner’s ingenious “Some Kind of Humanity” presents, in a manner leaving little to the imagination, various sexual fetishes discovered in hidden and obscure corners of the internet.
Pan-Erotikum
The Pan-Erotikum programs are complementary to films dealing with sex tech topics, which will accompany the Cherry Pick film program.
In particular, the audience will be able to approach specific topics such as the influence of pornography, artificial intelligence, and online dating sites through the prism of film art, as well as scientific viewpoints (tribunes), art exhibitions, performances, and educational and entertainment programs, all with the aim of demystifying conversations about sex within Croatian society.
We have something for everyone. From the workshop “What does an intimacy coordinator do?” for film industry professionals to the workshop “Sexuality and the Mind – From Fixations to Freedom,” which aims to help participants to understand the psychological roots of sexual dysfunction.
From the start of the festival on November 21 until November 30, the “Carnal Pursuits” exhibition, curated by Kristina Marić, will be on display at the KIC gallery. We are also hosting a panel discussion “The Depiction of Sex in Film“, and repeating Erotic quiz by Mario Kovač.
Cherry Pop Festival program & schedule
THURSDAY 21 / 11 / 2024
18 h – Pan-Erotikum 1 / KIC
In the performance “From Slaughter to Cake”, the artist evokes the intimacy of a family home. With a gentle, slow gesture, she suggests the figure of a mother or, even more so, a grandmother, lovingly offering a plate with a sweet treat. This treat is her own. The red cherries symbolize blood, effort, sacrifice, and desire. She presents them as fruit, simultaneously as seeds of a past, bygone era and of a future, looming one.
In this context, she reminds us of picking the sun and earth’s fruits with a grandmother, of fruit juice, preserves, menstruation, blood, an embrace, lovemaking, birth, injury, the layered nature of the body, innards, fresh decay, seasons, and the lunar cycle.
This search for tenderness within violence, for peace within intensity, for controlled and uncontrolled modes of expression, is driven as much by the subconscious as by consciousness. In this performance, the artist will feed her children like little birds, watching to see if, and how, they might take flight.
18:30 h – Pan-Erotikum 2 / KIC
From the start of the festival on November 21 until November 30, the “Carnal Pursuits” exhibition, curated by Kristina Marić, will be on display at the KIC gallery. The project gathers three young artists working in new media and performance art: Dora Brkarić, Andrea Knezović and Marianna Nardini.
The exhibition opening will be preceded by the performance “From Slaughter to Cake” by Marianna Nardini. Dora Brkarić will present an installation from the “STRIPTEASE” project, in which she and Iva Katarinčić took on cam girl roles and became objects of gaze. Andrea Knezović’s two video performances “Mirror” and „Story of the I“ and the series of photographs
„Organ Grinder“ show the artist applying makeup to her own face. Although the camera’s position and presence imitate an expected mirror, it gradually becomes clear that the artist does not actually have one.
19 h – Pan-Erotikum 3 / The Swanky Bar
The fun yet educational part of the program is led by Mario Kovač, who will once again host the successful and unique Erotic Quiz at The Swanky Bar.
About 15 teams of five will participate, with an entry fee of €10 per team, and registration is via an online form.
19 h – Cherry Pick 1 / Dokukino KIC
Documentary that chronicles the rise and fall of homegrown gay porn studio Palm Drive Video, and explores how a devoted couple helped battle a devastating health crisis by promoting kinky sex.
Legendary leatherman Jack Fritscher met Mark Hemry in 1979 at Harvey Milk’s birthday party – and the two fell head over heels in love.
When the AIDS epidemic swept through San Francisco, the couple left the city to begin a new venture: turning a rural ranch in Sonoma County into a safe-sex porn studio that offered viewers new sexual possibilities in an age of plague.
Casting rugged, non-professional models to explore their unique erotic fantasies on-screen, the studio explored a wild array of queer kinks – and helped champion sex- positivity in the porn industry.
21 h – Film competition Sweet Cherries 1 / Dokukino KIC
Drawn from an interview with the filmmaker for The Heart of Jacks podcast, Grey Narcissus is a short, queer, pornographic documentary that explores how technology has made it possible for anyone to make their own erotic art
Jean, 18yo is the prodigy player of his rugby club. As he and his team defend their title, Jean falls deeply in love with Ayoub, a player from the opposing team. The brotherhood with his teammates turns out to be a lot more fragile than Jean ever thought it was.
Where is queer culture hidden in Yugoslav cinema? A critical look into the shaping of queer representation in this region. It was always present but in what way and how visibly. Now these motifs and characters are brought into the light so they can finally be seen and appreciated.
As Simoné prepares to pitch her way to the top, her body has other plans – and a lone tampon becomes her greatest nemesis in a battle to keep her cool, her clothes clean, and her career on track.
Sharon is thrilled to marry the love of her life but fears accepting the conservative fidelity that awaits them. To open up her couple and overcome her dilemma, she is inspired by a married couple on whom she fantasizes…
Mom throws her son a grandiose surprise BirthGay party, celebrating a year of his coming out of the closet.
FRIDAY 22 / 11 / 2023
19 h – Cherry Pick 2 / Dokukino KIC
Curated guest screening block by the FilmMaudit 2.0 Festival (Los Angeles), which promotes bold, avant-garde, extreme and unusual filmmaking, showing unconventional films that offer an insight into the diversity of forms sexual s(t)imulation takes for different people.
In a dark Navotas City apartment crammed with encyclopedias, family albums and wrestling posters, a man and his feline friend watch gay porn and cat videos, and embark on a fantastic Hawaiian vacation via an acid pill tab the ass.
This video-art piece depicts three moody, absurdist love scenes in which the goal is to improve sex by complicating its rhythm and choreography.
Our program for the evening has been composed by and for growns-up, who haven’t lost their child soul. Eternal history, the tale of Belle-Rose. As known as Beauty and the beast. Warning, some images are likely to offend homophobic sensitivity.
Richard has an unusual fantasy: he is sexually aroused by the idea of being eaten by an animal or a monster. Through an online contact ad, he meets the mysterious Max and he now has the possibility of realizing his depraved fantasy. Will Richard be able to escape his dark desires or not?
An eye-opening documentary that explores a long-practiced erotic fetish from the point of view of a gay millennial who expresses it as performance art. Is it mere pornography or groundbreaking art worthy of consideration and criticism? The film poses many questions which viewers must answer for themselves.
21 h – Film competition Sweet Cherries 2 / Dokukino KIC
Arthur is about to face the greatest threat the world has ever known. Will he be the man for the job?
Willow is young, ambitious, and knows what she wants – but it isn’t going to come cheap. Working multiple jobs and taking on extra shifts, Willow doggedly saves every penny to order a very special toy.
A documentary about different people and their interpretation of BDSM. The protagonists themselves have their say and share moving and intimate moments with us.
Jeanne, a 22-year-old woman, recounts the last moments of her life in a letter addressed to her parents. On the path to accepting her trans-identity, she will meet Franck, a man of xenophobic appearance, whose confidante she will become, despite herself, until the point of no return.
After many years together, a couple decides to have a baby. Throughout their relentless efforts, the partners try to maintain their love and unity. Making Babies takes a bittersweet look at a couple’s life, with its doubts, its challenges and its resilience.
SATURDAY 23 / 11 / 2023
12 h – Pan-Erotikum 4 / Pogon
We bring you a new workshop that offers an understanding of sexuality through psychoeducation about sexuality. Through theory, reflection and practical activities, participants will be able to become aware of their own behavior patterns, better understand their own sexuality and learn how to communicate healthily about sexual topics in relationships.
Psychotherapists Lana Hristov and Paula Zore will guide you through discussions and expert insights.
Discover new ways to improve your intimate life and get rid of unconscious blocks.
The number of participants is limited, secure your place in time. You may register for the workshop via an online form. An €8 participation fee applies.
14 h – Pan-Erotikum 5 / Dokukino KIC
Intimacy coordinators are a relatively new presence in the film industry. This workshop aims to familiarize participants with some of the basic principles of this profession, connecting it with practice and the practical challenges of confronting the profession’s potential with cultural patterns and existing standards that dominate artistic creation in the region.
Why is a silent revolution the only possible way when it comes to the methodology of portraying intimacy on film, and what is the foundation of the change that should follow? Explore this together with coordinators and psychological safety supervisors Marko Marčec and Anđela Rajić Novaković.
Workshop is free and you may register for it via online form.
17 h – Pan-Erotikum 6 / Dokukino KIC
At the panel discussion we’ll open a conversation on how contemporary cinema balances creative expression and ethical responsibility. We’ll discuss the role of intimacy coordinators, the importance of consent on set, and how portrayals of sex can deeply impact audiences—whether thoughtfully crafted or perceived as excessive or thoughtless.
An open discussion awaits on the boundaries of artistic freedom and its impact on today’s audience. Croatian actresses Lena Medar and Lana Barić, representing the younger and middle generations, along with Serbian actress, psychotherapist, and intimacy coordinator Anđela Rajić Novaković and director Nikola Ljuca, will discuss these issues, with the panel moderated by Viktor Zahtila.
19 h – Cherry Pick 3 / Dokukino KIC
Summer in the city. It’s boring and hot. I am lonely, you need love. We don’t know each other, but we’re using the same dating app. Maybe we’ll get lucky?
He’s in his thirties, often feels lonely and left out, but luckily he has Michael, his best friend. Michael sends him strange videos found on the internet.
Mr. & Mrs. Lovett live out their (sex) lives in full public view in front of a permanently connected webcam, which frames their spartan living room like a human aquarium. This is all we see of their lives – but it’s not so little after all.
20 h – Film competition Sweet Cherries 3 / Dokukino KIC
Three teammates unwind from a hockey game defeat by testing the limits of their friendship. The film is a part of The Hotel Room -short film series, in which all eight stories are set in the same room and told by different up-and-coming filmmakers.
Emma and Antoine, who have been together for eight years, visit Antoine’s parents for the weekend. But Antoine suddenly breaks down and confesses to Emma that he wants to break up.
In their special world, two best friends share an unbreakable bond, but when one of them finds a boyfriend, everything changes.
Just like an LP, coming out of the closet for a gay lad has both an A side and a B side. A life between guilt and pleasure. Reflections invites you to reflect upon this idea.
A bird called Memory has forgotten how to come back home. Lua, a trans woman, tries to find Memory in the streets, but the city can be a hostile place.
21:30 h – Closing ceremony
