Sticky: A (Self) Love Story

Everyone does it; few admit it; now there’s a movie about it!

Sticky talks candidly about what has been referred to throughout history as both a form of self-love and self-abuse. After being shamed as a child by fellow students for admitting that he masturbated, writer/director Nicholas Tana, interviewed over sixty sexologists, authors, religious figures, porn stars, and entertainers to understand what’s so wrong with masturbation.

Full of candid interviews from sex therapists, religious figures, and psychologists to celebrated figures such as former Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders, comedian Janeane Garofalo, and, among others, “Hustler” creator, Larry Flynt. Sticky answers age-old questions; “Will it make me go blind?”; “Is it “normal”?”; and, “Why are we so afraid to be caught in the act?” As well as tackling more contemporary issues like why the media portrays masturbation so negatively, how the world’s major religions disagree about the moral effects of self-pleasuring, and why the sale of sex toys is illegal in Alabama.

When confusion about sexuality remains at the root of so many societal problems – rape, sexual abuse, and the threat of sexually transmitted diseases – Sticky pulls no punches in exploring a subject that touches us all.

The Abortion Hotline

In Chile, where abortion remains illegal and punishable by imprisonment, we follow a group of young activists who run an underground abortion hotline. Our protagonist Mafe is backed by a group of trusted volunteers who dedicate their evenings to answering calls and advising pregnant women in distress. Their goal: to inform callers about Misoprostol, a pill used to treat ulcers that can also induce abortion.

But change is in the air. After a heated election campaign, new President Michelle Bachelet has promised to loosen certain laws related to abortion. As the debate intensifies we witness first hand the trials and tribulations of the hotline as they find themselves taking centre stage. Election promises become diluted, allegiances are formed and broken with opportunists profiting from illegal abortions and the countries deep divisions are laid bare.

Can the hotline survive personal differences, will they remain safe from the authorities or will progressive reforms render the abortion hotline obsolete? 

The Abortion Hotline from Sideways Film on Vimeo.

Jesus Town, USA

For 88 years, a small Oklahoma town has pantomimed a passion play on a bizarre reproduction of Jerusalem built into the Wichita foothills.

Jesus Town, USA is a light-hearted and comedic documentary chronicling the journey of a 100-strong amateur cast, a dozen horses, and very devout community. Once boasting audiences of over 200,000 the Pageant now struggles to find any audience at all. When the man playing Jesus for 8 years retires, his replacement, a long-standing member of the cast, has a secret he is hiding from everyone.

The journey from casting to opening night is a real-life ‘Waiting for Guffman’ set in the heart of Oklahoma. With endearing characters, quirky humour, and stunning cinematography, Jesus Town, USA documents a town grappling with questions of tradition, legacy, and what it means to be a community.