PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Recently, I had the opportunity to watch the documentary, Morgana, for the San Francisco Indie Fest 2021. I believe that pornography films, especially in the United States, are more times than not associated with being “dirty.” That wasn’t the vibe I got from the synopsis at all, and this is what intrigued me. I decided to take the plunge and give it a watch. What did I think? Read on to find out!
Synopsis:
After 20 years as a dutiful housewife stuck in a loveless, sexless marriage, Morgana has had enough of her dreary life. Desperately lonely and starved of intimacy, she books a male escort for one last hurrah before ending it all.
Her final night takes an unexpected turn when her relationship with the escort opens up a new world of personal and sexual freedom. Instead of killing herself, Morgana makes an award-winning porn film about their date, moves from suburban Australia to Berlin, embraces her pansexuality, and becomes a celebrated feminist porn director and star.
My Thoughts
This documentary is a little over an hour long, and it packs so much emotion and realness into that short time. It is definitely not just about pornography. It is so much more. Morgana is not just for women, but I believe women will definitely relate to the film.
Society likes to pressure women into getting married and having children. The implications of society is that your life is not complete if you don’t do that. Morgana Muse decides, after trying to fit into that role and finding herself stuck in her dismal marriage, to hire an escort, sort of a last fling before killing herself. To her surprise, the conversations and interactions with the escort ignites a new world to her. She discovers herself. Her true self. Personally, professionally and sexually.
This film is empowering and it portrays age and body positivity. Again, it seems society forces us to believe that women over the age of 25 or overweight do not have wants and sexual desires, which is far from the truth.
In her 40s and 50s, she learns to love her body and uses that to make exquisite and visually stunning award winning pornography films, breathtaking images that definitely are not “dirty.”
Morgana also allows us to see her struggle with mental illness as she suffers with depression at times. I feel like we need more representation of that in films.
Final Thoughts
This film is real and inspiring. It shows you are never too old in life to find your true self. Thank you, Morgana Muse, for sharing your story, being real, and inspiring us to find our true selves at any age.
