BOSTON — Reflecting on her career in adult, filmmaker Angie Rowntree recalls when, over 25 years ago at the adult internet trade show IA2000, a producer warned her there was no market for “porn for women.”
“Women are not visually stimulated,” the producer said. They went on to claim that women dislike porn on general principle and would certainly never pay for it.
As history has shown, that producer’s assumptions were far from accurate.
A rep for Sssh.com noted that 2024 marked the site's 25th anniversary as one of the first female-founded and -run adult sites. Tracing back to its origins in the ’90s blogosphere, the site employs a signature internal survey that allows members to voice their desires and directly influence content. With a quarter-century of insights into human desires, the rep added, Rowntree curates each aspect of the site, crafting films that reflect longing, fantasy, and shared dreams, contributing to their organic and wide-ranging appeal among diverse viewers.
“Before I worked in porn, I knew about Sssh.com,” said award-winning director Jacky St. James. “It represented a space for women in the adult industry where our sexuality is depicted in a natural and respected way. Angie has done so much for women’s sexual exploration, and we are so lucky to have her pioneering this space.”
Added sociologist Dr. Chauntelle Tibbals, “Angie Rowntree has been creating porn on the internet since the '90s. A truly astounding accomplishment simply in terms of longevity, but especially if you consider just how much the industry and wider culture have changed since then.”
The rep added that as Rowntree’s vision grew more ambitious and wide-ranging, she adopted an increasingly cinematic style featuring elaborate storylines and high production values.
“Over the last decade, Angie Rowntree has become an icon in adult films with her unique, fresh, out-of-the-box style,” said Kelly Holland, CEO of ChickMedia and former owner of Penthouse. “Angie approaches her projects not from a cliched adult perspective but from a position of truth as her starting point. Her films are honest, thoughtful, and provocative.”
Rowntree expressed a passion for delving into more challenging narratives.
“I don’t believe complex themes are incompatible with erotic film,” she says. “Sex is part of the human experience, and it’s more compelling when shown in the broader context of life.”
The rep concluded that in recent years, Sssh films have received critical acclaim in both the adult industry and mainstream film circles. Rowntree’s work has been featured at numerous national and international film festivals, earning over 170 awards and nominations. Non-explicit versions of her films are available on mainstream platforms, with segments also appearing in several Netflix shows and movies, underscoring the innovative quality of her work.
Rowntree shared her excitement for the years ahead.
“Life is about change, and while the adult industry and attitudes within and about the industry have changed a lot over the last 30 years, there are more walls that need breaking down and more doors that need opening,” Rowntree says. “My goal is to keep Sssh at the vanguard of the push to make porn more inclusive — and more ambitious in its artistry and depth of expression.”
For more information, visit Sssh.com or email press@sssh.com or editor@sssh.com.
