Our 4 favorites 
If one name had to stand for feminist porn, it would surely be hers. Since her first film in 2004, Erika Lust has upended an entire industry by putting women’s desire and pleasure at the centre of the frame rather than at its margins. Director, producer, author and businesswoman, she has built a genuine adult cinema empire from Barcelona, ethical and committed.
Key takeaway
Erika Lust (born Erika Hallqvist in Stockholm in 1977) is a Swedish director based in Barcelona and a pioneer of feminist porn since her short film The Good Girl in 2004. She produces films where female pleasure, consent and fair working conditions are the rule. Her work can be watched on her platforms Lust Cinema, XConfessions and Else Cinema, from a few euros a month.
Who is Erika Lust?
Erika Lust, whose real name is Erika Hallqvist, was born in Stockholm (Sweden) in 1977. A director, screenwriter and producer, she is one of the great pioneers of feminist porn, alongside figures such as Paulita Pappel and Olympe de G.
At Lund University in Sweden, she studied political science, specialising in human rights and feminism. It was there that she discovered Linda Williams’ essay Hard Core, a book that would lastingly shape her view of pornography. She graduated in 1999 and moved the following year to Barcelona, where she trained in filmmaking. A city she would never leave, and where she would start a family with Pablo Dobner, today her business partner.
In 2004, she directed her first film, the explicit short The Good Girl, which follows the sexual adventures of a young Spanish woman with humour. She went on to create her production company, Erika Lust Films, dedicated to a feminist pornography in which women directors are the majority. In 2007, Five Hot Stories For Her, a collection of five short films about women’s pleasure, won several international awards (FICEB Award, Feminist Porn Award, Venus-Eroticline-Award). Her great career was under way.
Today, Erika Lust is the first name that comes to mind whenever feminist or ethical porn is mentioned. Both a successful company head and a talented director, she has redefined the industry’s codes by making female pleasure the heart of the story.
Erika is giving away one of her films for free, make the most of it!
Feminist porn according to Erika
Feminist porn has almost as many definitions as there are people to talk about it. For Erika, it is above all about giving female pleasure the place it deserves. Women stop being that sexual object present only to satisfy men, locked inside the male gaze. Their desire becomes the centre of the story. Sex is a sincere exchange, where wishes, limits and even the most extreme fantasies are taken into account on both sides.
Beware of the misunderstanding: feminist porn does not mean “soft” sexuality. Quite the opposite. Every practice, hardcore included, has its place, on one condition only: that everything is fully consensual.
For Erika, this vision also means a greater female presence in front of and behind the camera. That is why her team is made up overwhelmingly of women. Finally, she stands squarely against the excesses of mainstream porn, still far too common: underpaid performers, unclear consent, unhealthy work environments. In her eyes, feminist porn is necessarily ethical porn, meaning a healthy, safe and fairly paid workplace. Hence her case for paid porn: paying means funding good working conditions and guaranteeing that these values are respected. She refuses, however, to make anyone feel guilty: no one should judge themselves harshly for what they watch.
A pioneer recognised far beyond the adult industry
Erika Lust’s influence reaches well beyond pornography’s inner circle. In 2014, her TEDxVienna talk “It’s time for porn to change” went viral and launched the hashtag #changeporn, bringing the debate on ethical porn to a wide audience. She is also an author: her book Good Porn: A Woman’s Guide (originally published in Spanish as Porno para mujeres) offers women an uninhibited guide to reclaiming pleasure on screen. Award-winning films, talks, books, media appearances: Erika Lust has turned feminist porn into a genuine social issue.
Where to watch Erika Lust’s films?
You can discover Erika Lust’s films on three complementary platforms, all created by her. Sign up for her newsletter and Erika will even give you a free film!
Lust Cinema
Lust Cinema is Erika Lust’s premium studio. It offers pornographic feature films and series with carefully crafted plots, directed by her but also by other directors who share her values. Lesbian, BDSM, orgies: there is something for every taste. This is the platform for lovers of cinema as much as of sex, with real stories and realistic sex.
Price: 1 free film, then from around 9 €/month (indicative rate, check the current offer).
XConfessions
Launched in 2013, XConfessions is a participatory porn project that has become emblematic. The principle: anonymous people submit their fantasies and experiences, and every month Erika and guest directors pick the most inspiring ones to turn into short films. The goal? To celebrate sex and sexuality in a healthy, joyful and uninhibited way.
Price: 1 free film, then from around 9 €/month (indicative rate).
Else Cinema
Else Cinema is the gentlest platform in the Erika Lust ecosystem. Here, explicit content gives way to eroticism: stolen glances, tender gestures, suggested desire. Designed for those who want to add sensuality to their imagination, it offers erotic (not pornographic) films, between romantic plots and passionate adventures.
Price: 1 free film, then from around 9 €/month (indicative rate).
Good to know
Alongside the subscriptions, Erika Lust also runs The Store, a shop where her films can be bought and downloaded individually, with no commitment. Handy for discovering a specific work before subscribing.
Filmography
Here is a (non-exhaustive) selection of films directed by Erika Lust that we love:
- The Good Girl, 2004
- Five Hot Stories For Her, 2007
- Barcelona Sex Project, 2008
- Handcuffs, 2009
- Life Love Lust, 2010
- Love Me Like You Hate Me, 2010
- Room 33, 2011
- Cabaret Desire, 2011
- XConfessions Vol. 4, 2015
- Dominate Me, 2016
- Toy With Me, 2021
- Real Sex Compilation, 2022
- The Ultimate Threesome Compilation, 2023
- Dirty Martini Sex Party, 2023
FAQ
Where can you watch Erika Lust’s films?
Her films are available on three platforms she created: Lust Cinema (feature films and series with carefully crafted plots), XConfessions (short films inspired by the audience’s fantasies) and Else Cinema (gentle, non-explicit eroticism). She also runs The Store for buying films individually.
Do Erika Lust’s films cost money?
Yes, but she gives a first film for free on sign-up. Subscriptions start at around 9 €/month depending on the platform and the current offers. This paid model is a deliberate choice: it makes it possible to pay the crews and the performers properly.
What is the difference between XConfessions, Lust Cinema and Else Cinema?
XConfessions stages fantasies submitted by the audience as short films. Lust Cinema offers narrative pornographic feature films and series. Else Cinema, for its part, focuses on suggested eroticism rather than explicit content.
Is feminist porn necessarily soft?
No. For Erika Lust, feminist porn can be just as hardcore as any other pornography. What sets it apart is not the intensity of the practices, but the consent of everyone involved, respect for the performers and the central place given to female pleasure.
How do you submit a fantasy to XConfessions?
Simply share your fantasy anonymously through the XConfessions platform. Every month, Erika Lust and her guest directors select the most inspiring confessions to adapt for the screen.
