If you find yourself watching a gay porn film which seems definitely a cut above the
average check out the director, chances are it'll be the creation of Frenchman
Jean-Daniel Cadinot, writes Steven Gardiner. Cadinot's films have only recently become available legally in
this country, even though he's the winner of countless awards for what one critic
describes as his ".... ability to weave interesting narratives
into visually splendid sexcapades." The Cadinot style is instantly recognisable.
He specialises in "minets" (or "puppies") with smooth and tender skin and cocks that
take no time to harden. Filled with lust and desire, these young guys
explore each other's bodies in a very "cadinian" style: they kiss, touch, fondle,
suck and fuck each other passionately, sometimes slowly, sometimes with tenderness.
Less hunky than their American or Bel Ami counterparts, they give plenty of ideas
to viewers and they seem totally oblivious to the camera.
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While he continued his mainstream career, he took more and more nude photographs of
men for private circulation mostly to friends. "The nude male technique is much
more difficult than the female nude. Firstly, there are a lot of taboos concerning
the male nude that originates from more than 2000 years of Christianity.
We had far less male nude representations in the arts in general. Secondly, when
you photograph male nudes you have less freedom, less creativity than you have with
a female body who has more curves, the poses and positions are more limitated
with men."
By the late 1970s he'd published no less than 17 photo albums with a circulation
of over 170,000 copies. Then in 1978 he created his own production company French Art which
released its first 16mm film "Tendre Adolescents" (Tender Teens). The move from
still to moving picture came easily: "The still photo became too limiting. I
quickly reached the boundaries and I had a desire for action and movement. I wanted
to go further, create situations, tell stories, our collective stories as gay men.
I was frustrated by the limits of still photography and the video enabled me to
do just that. I have to say that when I'm shooting photos I prefer to work as an
artist and make artistic photos because otherwise it's not long before it gets
pornographic and I don't like that. In that sense there was a progressive evolution
towards films in order for me to tell stories about men. In some way, it was my
first gay activism to illustrate our sexual stories", he explained.
Unlike many in the industry who shoot numerous videos a year - always with the
same old recipe of gorgeous hunks, big pecs and huge cocks - Cadinot shoots a maximum
of 4 videos a year that respect his artistic vision. "It's true that I have an
artistic vision of my work. I'm very proud to be gay and I like to give throughout
the world a positive image of the gay community. Thus no one can dispute this image.
They also represent my tastes, I like young men and I like sex, I consider it as a
sort of ceremony. I want to show idyllic and irreproachable high quality images
that appeal to people."
In 1992 Cadinot gave up renting studios for his films, and decided to restore a
19th century farmhouse in Picardy, an hour north of Paris. "I needed it
for more autonomy, to store all the sets and the equipment, and to have the freedom
to shoot at any hour of the day or night and to take the time to work with the
actors." These farmhouse buildings were transformed into an inn, a studio, a
storeroom, and a workshop where he builds his video sets since all the indoor scenes
are recreated inside the studio. In his country home with its sunny terrace,
playroom and numerous tv sets, Cadinot really lives "a dream that I had when I
was a kid to live this way".
"It's very satisfying to have this studio now, to live with the actors for many
days, to discuss with them and understand their personality which helps me to
develop the scenes. Here, there is space for more than a dozen people and each
youth can do whatever pleases him, whether it's staying with the group and having
fun or having some privacy."
If Cadinot has an idea of the story he'd like to tell, he asks the actor's
about their own sexual experiences, what's excited them in the past and what
excites them now. "I write a scenario that fits the young guys. This is the essence
of my films. The performers don't portray things that are imposed by me but
things they like to do themselves. These "puppies"
kiss each other with real passion, with real lust. It's the emotion that makes my particular
style. I tell a story. I don't do things that are "robotical" like we often tend
to see in the porn industry, my scenarios are based on the actors' tastes."
Another element differentiates Cadinot from the rest of the pack: the "minets",
the young men who are barely 20 years old. "To me, they represent the freshness
and innocence of youth. They are provocative: a 20 year old is more subversive
than a 30 year old man, there isn't yet the weight of socialization and education
on his shoulders, he isn't moulded yet into society. I like the freshness but also
the intelligence of these guys because I don't necessarily choose Apollo type men
with big cocks. I want men that could be your average next door neighbours, fresh,
natural, without any complexes regarding their sexuality or their sexual tastes."
In 1997, The International Erotic Film Awards, in Berlin, created a gay section and
handed its first awards to gay porn people. It was a surprise to no-one when
Cadinot received a "Venus" as Best Director, an award that pleased him tremendously
and encouraged him to pursue his career as a gay porn director... "And this is
something that I intend to do for as long as I can", he says. And Cadinot has
gone from strength to strength. During the past year alone he won a Special Award
at the adult "Oscars" the AVN Awards in Los Angeles for his body of work, and another
Venus in Berlin for "C'est La Vie".
J.D. Cadinot's videos are avaiable from
www.cadinot.co.uk.Other retailers also offer the DVDs.
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