Petals at Guelph

In addition to recent news that Petals will be released on DVD in Blockbuster and Rogers stores across Canada by Mongrel Media:

We are very honoured to be the only film presentation of one of the largest international sexual health conferences in the world.

www.GuelphSexualityConference.ca

Movie Premiere and Discussion 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Tuesday, June 22

Petals – Journey Into Self-Discovery is a remarkable 50-minute documentary that both questions, and then examines, the many unspoken myths about the appearance and nature of women’s sexual organs. The essence of a woman’s sexuality--her vulva--has been a taboo subject for cultures locked into fears of our basic physical nature. These deep-seated beliefs directly affect female sexual self-esteem. The movie records the reactions of sex educators, women’s health professionals, art critics, female activists, as well as the man/woman-in-the-street as they confront the physical mystery of womanhood.

Photographer Nick Karras has composed intimate images with an unusual visual and emotional sensitivity. The documentary follows his personal journey as he produces a book of artful photographs. The subtle black and white photographs discover the delicate beauty in the infinite variety of female genitals, inspiring a profound sense of wonder and awe. Quite unlike the frenzied exploitation of sexuality common in media presentations, the frank honesty of Petals is intensely revealing. Unforgettable women, some who become guides and teachers in the quest, join in confronting both the current fears and timeless beauty found in a woman’s most basic sexual nature.

Dr. Nick Karras is a photographer and the author of Petals. The varied range of his erotic photography has been exhibited in many venues and media. Nick has received a prestigious Sexual Intelligence award by Dr. Marty Klein. His Doctorate degree in Sexology was awarded by the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality (IASHS) in San Francisco. He also teaches photography.

Petals in Estonia

TRAILER http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-o4cf2qWlM&feature=channel_page

Your wonderful documentary PETALS - JOURNEY INTO SELF DISCOVERY is nominated to compete in frame of the 23rd Pärnu International Documentary Film Festival for the Estonian People’s Award. It means that the film will be broadcast on Estonian Television during the festival week (in a one evening from Sunday, July 5th through Saturday, July 11th). Last evening of the festival, after the airing of the last documentary of seven competing films, the TV-audience all over our country is welcome to call to the studio and to give points.

After voting process the president of country or the minister of culture will make award to the director of the best film. It happens the tenth time already and we do hope that the Estonian people make a right choise this time, too. Would be very nice to have all seven authors in Pärnu in person.Due to very complicated financial situation we are unable to cover Your travel expenses. If You’ll find possible to come to Pärnu, we are ready to provide You with a nice summer hotel. But, please let us know ASAP your resident country and town where do you live. Maybe we can get some sponsor tickets from our national airline Estonia Air.

As one of our traditions is to introduce authors of competing films before transmission on TV, we would like ask You in following.We would like to record a short interview with You which will shown before Your competition screening on ETV. Could You be so nice as organize a shooting on video (DVcam or DV) of Your quite close-up portrait when Mark Soosaar, head of the festival, is asking questings on telephone and You are answering to these questions which concern crerative process of Your film.We are on our behalf shooting Mr. Soosaar at the same time. From the footage of both cassettes will be edited a 6 – 7 minutes long clip to be shown on Estonian TV before screening of Your film.If You like the idea, please, dont hesitate to tell us – which date is the best to call You and to record the distant interview.We would like to receive the 7 cassettes from 7 authors latest during the last week of June. There must be an editing and subtitling time left for the first broadcast which takes place in July 5th.

CordiallyVaiko Edur, Head of programs of the 23rd Pärnu International Documentary Film Festival