Answer quickly: what comes to your mind when you think of gay porn? Not exactly a Paolo Sorrentino movie, I would guess. Or a Sam Taylor-Wood movie. Or any movie. This is because one is used to think that porn is limited to simplistic and demeaning scenes of bodies making meaningless sex, and that gay porn would be the same thing – only worse. But what if I tell you that a gay porn film can have a smart plot, emotion in the script, and a cinema-quality photography? Because it does, and I’ll tell you why.

My name is Noel Alejandro and I am a gay indie filmmaker. From everything I ever thought about porn, my biggest issue has always been pornography being the most exploited genre, and still the one that’s less explored. Ever since I started, I was seduced by the idea of portraying sex in a way that’s exciting and that would instantly give you a boner (a porno is a porno is a porno), but I never felt tied to that old-cliches style with which pornography had been done for decades.

“…My biggest issue has always been pornography being the most exploited genre, and still the one that’s less explored.”

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against traditional porn videos – I just want mine to be about something more than sex. I’ve been playing with inserting other cinema elements into my films. I play with emotions like sadness or fear, for example -I dare you to find real emotions in regular pornos!-, and I hope that at the end of my films you end up feeling touched – and that’s not just another bad pun.

I’m not gonna lie, I don’t do this for you, or to play the sensitive guy. I do it because I believe in pushing boundaries. The fact is, our sexuality goes hand in hand with our emotions. Sometimes, our sexual relationships or encounters make us feel like we’re in a movie. Even the less special sexual experience we have come with some built-in emotion. It changes us. That’s why I believe that there is absolutely no reason why all these meaningful feelings, or even beauty or art, should be banned from pornography.

I know I’m not alone in this because there are a number of other young, transgressive filmmakers creating a lot of unique stuff as well. Many of them get in touch with me sharing their thoughts, asking tips or just showing that they exist. They know the world is changing, and that people tend to be more demanding, more critical and more intellectually sensitive – even when it comes to jerking off.

So next time you’re in for some alone time (or shared!), be open to think of it as something more than just a jerk-off.

*In the picture. Noel Alejandro on set with the actors