NEW YORK — Winners of the 2022 CineKink Film Festival were announced Sunday night, with documentarians Todd Verow and the late Charles Lum receiving the CineKink Artist Spotlight, which recognizes outstanding artistry over a body of work.
Their collaborative films, including this season’s "Death Race," Lum’s video diary recounting the last year of his life, and "My Almost First Time," have been featured at CineKink since the festival’s launch in 2003.
“After our hiatus, I was pleasantly astounded at the quality of works that came in for this year’s festival,” said Lisa Vandever, CineKink co-founder and director. “It seems that filmmakers really stepped up their game during the pandemic, and it certainly showed in our lineup. Congratulations and thanks are in order, not just to our award-winning filmmakers, but to all of them.”
CineKink jurors determining the awards this year included Thor Stockman, creator of "The Good, The Bad and The Ridiculous: S/M at The Movies"; Viviane Tang, co-founder of The Pleasure Salon; and Bill Woods, a film festival programmer and curator of the New Filmmakers series at Anthology Film Archives.
The list of winners follows:
CineKink 2022 Spotlight Artists
Charles Lum and Todd Verow
CineKink Choice: Audience Choice Awards
CineKink Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature
"Raw! Uncut! Video!" (d. Ryan White and Alex Clausen)
CineKink Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature
"Vivante" (d. Anoushka)
CineKink Best: Jury Award for Best Shorts
CineKink Best Dramatic Short
TIE: “Blind Spots" (d. Luis Schubert)
TIE: "Sexual Distancing" (d. Dimitris Asproloupos)
CineKink Best Comedy Short
"Red" (d. Katia Koziara)
CineKink Best Documentary Short
TIE: "Butch Please" (d. Peter Fitzgerald)
TIE: "Stephen & James: Best Girlfriends" (d. Dave Quantic)
CineKink Best Experimental Short
"Hold" (d. Marit Östberg)
CineKink Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Short
"The Receiver" (d. Salty Cheri)
CineKink Honorable Best Mentions
"Leatherboy" (d. Bob Miller)
"Sovereign Sex" (d. Dom Razberry and Daemon Derriere)
"Virtual Love" (d. Santiago Dollero)
CineKink Select: Festival Director Award
"Sweat of His Cow" (d. John Stuart Wildman and Alan Smithee)
"Bring It!" Adult Industry Showcase Award
"Air" (d. Urvashi)
Along with streaming partner PinkLabel.tv, sponsors and partners of CineKink 2022 include Njoy, Athena Productions, Film Festival Secrets and Robel Films.
Selections from CineKink 2022 will be featured in a traveling version of the festival, slated to appear in various cities, and virtually, throughout the next year.
Dates for the next edition of the fest, CineKink’s 20th anniversary season, have not yet been determined.
Encore screenings of select titles from this year's programming continue to stream through Sunday, May 15; click here for additional details and click here for tickets. Find CineKink on PinkLabel.tv.
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Images (L-R): 'Vivante,' 'Air,' 'Leatherboy'
