Adored: Diary of a Porn Star

-- Video Business, 10/14/2004

Color, NR (mature themes, sexual situations, language), 101 min., DVD only $24.95, Italian with English subtitles

DVD: featurette, deleted scenes, short film, backstage with Riki footage

Street: Nov. 2, Prebook: now

First Run: L, May 2004, <$1 mil.

Cast: Marco Filiberti, Urbano Barberini (Borderline), Alessandra Acciai (Deceit), Rosalinda Celentano (The Passion of the Christ)

Director: Marco Filiberti

WOLFE

The life of famed Italian gay porn star Riki Kandinsky (Febretti) is turned around after his father dies and he rekindles a relationship with his brother. Family bonds take on a more significant role in Riki's life as he befriends a boy who lost his mother in an accident. Though a film with the words "porn star" in the title typically connotes more salacious undertones, this intimate portrait actually turns out to be surprisingly mild and sweet. Febretti works well both in front of and behind the camera, surrounding himself with an excellent ensemble of performers to tell his story of an adult movie star who is still learning how to live like an adult. While Adored scores marks as a character study that evenly presents both the pleasures and the pitfalls of life in the sex industry, it is also successful at exploring ways to restore broken family bonds through honesty and respect. This film takes a unique place in the gay and lesbian film genre in the way it approaches the issue of family values and community. But its scope is broad enough to pick up straight international film fans that seek out fresh work with challenging narratives and well-rounded characterizations. --Mekado Murphy