LOS ANGELES — Girlfriends Films is now managing operations and distribution for Triangle Films, one of the premier brands in lesbian erotica. Now the entire Triangle Films library is available through Girlfriends Films Distribution. In addition to previous titles, Girlfriends Films will also release two new movies from Triangle Films in late 2014/early 2015.
Triangle Films owner Kathryn Annelle, who began her career in adult entertainment with Girlfriends Films, remarked, “I got my start in the business about nine or ten years ago shooting for Dan [O’Connell]. We were close then and have remained so over the years.”
In January 2014, Annelle suffered the tragic loss of Susan “Shoosh” Karpman, her partner in life and business.
“The death of Shoosh brought so many changes to my life and the company,” Annelle continued. “It was a natural choice to call on Dan and Moose when I needed help. They both continue to support Triangle Films and me, as I go through this. I look forward to a long and prosperous relationship, as they take over the day to day operation of Triangle Films.”
Annelle founded Triangle Films in 2006 and later brought Shoosh on as a business partner. The producers of numerous top-selling lesbian movies, the studio’s titles include “Justine Joli Lost,” “Her Little Secret,” “When Ginger Met Nina,” and “River Rock Women’s Prison,” which garnered accolades from the Feminist Porn Awards, and nominations from Cinesploitation.com.
Girlfriends Films founder Dan O’Connell remarked, “It is always nice for Girlfriends Films to pull in a distribution deal with another producer, however, this one is especially sweet given our long relationship, as well as all the time we spent together in the quest to create great lesbian footage. Triangle Films is a great brand with a great product, and we are selling for a wonderful person.”
According to O’Connell, Annelle was the first paid crewmember ever employed by Girlfriends Films, back in 2004. “Kathryn joined Girlfriends Films in its most formative time period and was definitely a factor in our early success and getting us past the point where other young companies didn’t survive,” O’Connell said.
A recently retired U.S. Marine, Annelle started with Girlfriends Films while the company was still a part-time gig for O’Connell, who had a full-time day-job. “She had a quick smile, easy laugh, great attitude, the character and work ethic of a Marine, and she was a lesbian. For me, those traits easily trumped her lack of experience with a video camera,” O’Connell continued. “She could learn that, but she had a set of qualities that can't be taught and are nearly impossible to find. She was and is extremely likable, and the girls felt very safe with her on set.”
O’Connell added, “We were doing two-camera shoots in those days. I've always limited the number of on-set personnel to the number of cameras (we currently have a crew of three, and each person runs a camera). So, for a couple of years, every GFF shoot consisted of Kathryn, two performers, and myself. Most of the shoots took place at my house in Encino. Crazy stuff happened and we always had a lot of fun and laughs.”
Over the past few years, Girlfriends Films has grown by leaps and bounds under the leadership of Dan O’Connell and Moose. The company went from producing award-winning lesbian content, to also distributing movies for other studios, developing a successful membership site, and launching a broadcast channel on Hustler TV. The moves contributed to Moose’s receipt of the 2011 XBIZ Executive Leadership award and O’Connell being named the 2012 XBIZ Man of the Year.
