'Peter De Rome: Grandfather of Gay Porn' Available on Naked Sword

SAN FRANCISCO—NakedSword Film Works (NSFW) has added Peter De Rome: Grandfather of Gay Porn, Ethan Reid’s acclaimed documentary, to its online library. Reid’s doc tells the story of an unassuming English man (pictured above) who became known as a gay porn progenitor. Without De Rome's influence, modern-day gay porn studios as we know them simply might not exist. De Rome was inspired by Hollywood movies and was known for the cinematic and narrative quality of his films. He captivated viewers not only with the beauty of the models but also his story-driven plots. The documentary recounts the porn pioneer’s life through his start in the early ’60s, when he filmed friends and random hook-ups, and into the ’70s, when he shot his first real gay porn film. The documentary features interviews with De Rome himself (retired and living his life in a small English town at the time) as well as directors Kristen Bjorn and Wakefield Poole, porn star Jake Genesis and others. Gay porn fans and history buffs who enjoyed Seed Money, released last month on NakedSword, will find this the perfect follow-up. Seed Money profiled Falcon Studios founder Chuck Holmes, whereas the Peter De Rome documentary showcases the early days before gay porn was an industry and became more mainstream. De Rome, who preferred to be called “the Grand Daddy of Gay Porn,” started shooting movies when it was illegal to even have gay sex. His work went on to inspire a generation of gay adult filmmakes, and ultimately went on to be accepted into the British Film Institute for its cultural impact. In honor of Peter De Rome: Grandfather of Gay Porn entering the NakedSword Film Works library, NakedSword is also adding two of De Rome’s films: Adam & Yves, which was released in 1974, and The Destroying Angel, released in 1976. These movies and the documentary give gay porn aficionados a glimpse into a central figure of the industry who helped change cultural norms about gay sex and gay adult film. Said Tim Valenti, president of Falcon Studios and the NakedSword network, “I’m happy we have this film in the NakedSword Film Works library because I think it's so important, now more than ever, to be conscious of the fact that we were not always afforded the freedoms we have now. Peter De Rome was a pioneer and trailblazer in our industry and we all owe him a debt of gratitude.” Find this unique documentary on “the Netflix of Gay Porn,” NakedSword.com.