LOS ANGELES — The acclaimed adult film “Gone,” produced by Sssh.com and featuring hardcore sex blended with dramatic narrative, has been named a semi-finalist at the Swedish International Film Festival.
The honor is the latest for “Gone,” which has been accepted by the Los Angeles CineFest, Wendy’s Shorts, the iHolly Next Generation Indie Film Festival and others. The film is an erotic romance written and directed by Angie Rowntree, owner and founder of Sssh.com. It tells a tale of love and loss between Rebecca and Todd Adams, played by real-life couple Madeline Blue and Gee Richards.
“'Gone's reception among audiences, critics and festivals is among the most rewarding things I’ve experienced as a director,” said Rowntree. “It’s even more gratifying when the acceptance and praise comes from outside the adult industry, because it’s something which is very, very rare to experience as a director of adult films.”
With her deft hand and unique vision, Rowntree gives the film a different feel with characterizations and emotional impact not often found in porn, as the erotic sex scenes become a part of the narrative as much as Rebecca’s complex emotions.
The film’s fusion of adult filmmaking with mainstream cinema sensibilities has struck a chord with critics who have lauded the production and its performances. Rich Moreland, author of “Pornography Feminism: As Powerful as She Wants to Be," wrote “Gone” is “perhaps the most significant porn film this reviewer has ever seen.”
“I think it’s important for the future of the adult entertainment industry that we continue to find mainstream acceptance for our work,” Rowntree said. “No matter how popular it becomes, there’s always this stigma attached to pornography, a sense a lot people have that porn can’t also be art, or ‘legitimate’ film.”
