Retrosex night at Kinodvor reviving only Yugoslav porn cinema
Ljubljana, 14 February - Ljubljana's art-house cinema Kinodvor will pay tribute to its former status as an erotic cinema theatre on Friday with the sixth edition of a programme called Retrosex. Previously known as Kinosloga, the cinema is honouring not only its predecessor but also the history of adult cinema.
Ljubljana
The Kinodvor art cinema.
Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
File photo
Taking a walk down memory lane, Kinodvor will welcome erotic film genre enthusiasts on Friday night.
The cinema is marking Valentine's Day with The Night of Erotic Film, a three-film special called Retrosex which is also an homage to Kinosloga, a cinema that was operating at the same location and was notorious for its erotic programme in the 70s and 80s.
"Whether it was labelled as infamous or popular or even progressive, Kinosloga, being a state cinema specialising in the erotic genre, was definitely one of a kind in what was a socialist society," the programme curator, Maša Peče, has told the STA.
The special event represents more than just an homage. According to Peče, it is a time capsule, an insight into a bygone era, a way of reminiscing and time-travelling for one night, going back to the time of different perceptions of nudity and sexuality.
"What needs to be stressed is that these various forms were a type of erotica or pornography that was intended for cinema visitors and came with filmic qualities. This is not the kind of pornography that is now being made as a 'useful' product meant to achieve a practical goal and for domestic consumption."
The organisers have aspired to include a wide spectrum of films - from art films and more obscure ones to commercial hits and classics - since the first night of erotic cinema.
This year's event will open with the controversial Japanese classic In the Realm of the Senses, which was also screened at Kinosloga in 1983 and, with 60,454 viewers, became the most popular film of the year in Ljubljana.
Retrosex will also put on display Sylvester Stallone's soft-core erotic debut The Party at Kitty and Stud's or Italian Stallion as the film was renamed after Stallone made a name for himself as Rocky Balboa.
The event will conclude with the Italian film I am Valentina Nappi, which marks the first time the annual event will also feature a contemporary film.
Based on their experience, Kinodvor expects a great turnout and a diverse, intergenerational audience. Everyone above 15 will be admitted, but the organisers warn the films are not recommended for anyone under 18.