Intertwining history and criticism of the porn industry with cultural observations about gender and sexuality, pioneering female adult filmmaker, Erika Lust, tell readers the lessons she has learned as a female entrepreneur in a male dominated industry for the past twenty years. And by using porn as a lens through which to think about who we are and the world we live in, Lust changes the way we think about sex and female pleasure.
Instead of scapegoating porn and missing the opportunity to amend those problems, Erika Lust gives readers pragmatic solutions for how we can develop the industry – not by the renewed calls for censorship and moral-panicked legislation which, history shows, exacerbates them – but through the power of creating and experiencing more complex and nuanced stories of sex and gender. Lust is not just about her own story, it’s about changing the ongoing conversations and current debates, not only as someone who knows the porn industry from the inside, but as someone who people can see as relatable.
Erika uses her story, of how she made her way from a pretty typical upbringing in Sweden to the most recognized name in the indie arthouse industry today, to expand timely debates about porn, pleasure and agency from a critical insider’s perspective of the industry.
Born in Stockholm and raised in Malmö, Sweden, Erika Lust is an award-winning indie erotic filmmaker. Her sex-positive adult cinema features relatable characters with an everyday look and realistic sex, transgressing gender stereotypes and fetishisations to offer a groundbreaking alternative to mass-produced mainstream porn. For the past two decades, Erika Lust has reshaped the landscape of adult filmmaking, challenging societal norms and paving the way for a new era of empowered sexuality.
With her unique storytelling approach, she has captured hearts and minds, showcasing eroticism in a way that is authentic, inclusive, and respectful. Erika Lust has been a beacon of change throughout her journey, championing body positivity, consent, and diverse representations of pleasure. She has shattered the stigmas surrounding adult entertainment and has brought ethics to the forefront. Her films embrace sexual liberation, intimacy, and the beauty of human desire, all while maintaining a high standard of ethical production practices. Her New York Times profile was a most-read culture story of the year.
