About Darryl’s Hard Liquor and Porn Film Festival

Darryl Gold – Founder
photo by Sarah Collaton

The Hard Liquor and Porn Film Festival is an annual comedy short film festival in Toronto.  It has also played in Montreal, London England and Sydney Australia.  The event usually includes a screening of 25-35 short films and a party.  Audience members are encouraged to dress up in porn star outfits. It’s not required but it’s fun. The audience is 50% male and 50% female ranging from 18 to 90 years old.

2009 partiers

Despite the name the festival has little or no ‘hardcore’ pornography. The films include funny and creative parodies, mockumentaries, music videos, animations or live action shorts about sex or anything else naughty. Most of the film makers are not in the porn business. They are independent film makers, comedians, animators, writers, musicians, or bankers on their day off.

Anyone is welcome to submit a film. The films should be (1) about sex or something else naughty and (2) 4 minutes or less (5 minutes max). We prefer films that are funny or creative. Go to the submission page.

HLP fest 2007

The 69 Hour Film Challenge

The 69 Hour Film Challenge began in 2006.   Participating teams are given a list of 10 items. Then they have 69 hours to produce a finished film using at least of 3 items from the list. The best films are screened at the festival.

HISTORY

The festival began October 31, 2000 as a party in the bachelor apartment of film maker Darryl Gold. Darryl invited friends to dress up, bring alcohol and a clip from their favorite porn movie. Darryl’s friend, Neil Hollands, made his own funny porn parody, called ‘Paint Job’, and the festival was born.

Comedy proved to be the key ingredient. For the second party on January 20, 2002 Darryl’s friends had to make their own films. They include comedians, writers, animators, filmmakers, musicians and maybe one or two porn stars. Fourteen films were created including the ‘seminal’ film ‘The Milk Man Cometh’ by Rob Pincombe.

The party grew in popularity. The third party had to be screened at the local bar ‘The Blue Moon’ on March 14, 2003. This is where Darryl Met up with Jill Rosenberg, former friend and workmate. Jill partnered up with Darryl as executive producer to bring the festival to larger and farther away venues including Montreal (June 18, 2005), London England (January 20, 2007) and Sydney Australia (Aug 21, 2009).

The festival is all about having a good laugh. We dont censor films. If it’s legal, it’s fine.  We like to promote films that are fun and make people feel good about themselves.

A Comedy Film Festival about SEX
Short Film - Music Video - Animation