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A film challenge, Japanese anime, Arthur Schnitzler shorts and a screenings of the Kim Basinger/Mickey Rourke defining 9½ Weeks encompass the inaugural Asbury Park Erotic Film Festival, which kicks off on August 5 at The ShowRoom Cinema.

The festival is the brainchild of Parlor Gallery’s Jenn Hampton and ShowRoom Cinema owners Nancy Sabino and Mike Sodano [shown at right].

“Having curated many thematic art shows at the gallery, I know there is an audience in the greater Asbury Park area for visual erotic art,” Hampton said.

The festival’s theme is A Celebration of the Senses, expressed not only in the lineup of offerings but from those who are joining in the venture.

“Where else would you do an erotic film festival,” Sodano said. “The city is its own celebration of senses and that’s what we are trying to do by partnering with Parlor Gallery and Jenn Hampton. We are putting a combination of film and art and celebration of the senses together in a city that pushes the envelope, a city that is edgy and erotic in its own right.”

For budding filmmakers and artistic adventures, the challenge starts Thursday.

Dubbed the Eros-in-3 Film Challenge, participants must adhere to a 72-hour timeline for three minute long erotic film submissions. The competition allows for any genre shot with any video [including smartphones] depicting one’s answer to “What is Erotic.”

The top eight winning entries will be screened Aug. 7, the last day of the festival.

Joining in the festivities, are a number of downtown venues, with merchants offering special events centered around the festival’s theme of A Celebration of the Senses.

“We are really excited that a lot of the merchant’s town have decided to put their own spin on erotic, which if fun,” Sodano said. “We’ve got food, retail, gallery exhibits, and essential oils [via Bonds and Bangs Apothecary].”

Festival Programmer Alex Chionetti responsible for the three-day film lineup said, “I have an international pool of filmmakers who have produced erotic features seldom seen in this country.”

The festival kicks off with a 6:30 p.m. opening reception an Erotic Art Exhibit at Art 629, located on Cookman Avenue. For a full lineup of festival events, click here.

“Erotica has always been at the basis of independent and art-house cinema,” Sodano said. “Every since we opened back in 2009, our goal has been to push the envelope. We strive to bring our audience the best provocative and engaging entertainment we can put on the screen.”

For a full lineup of city wide events, click here.

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