At one point, I wondered who the target audience was. For those unaware of Morgana or her previous works, this is not a film for the closed-minded. Morgana’s story is about her explosion from a dead marriage into the limelight of the feminist pornography filmmaking universe. This true story is a documentary film that follows a 50-year-old woman who reinvents herself. After a stifled history, combative lifestyle, and rigid upbringing, Morgana, decides to do the opposite of what everyone told her to do. For those shaking their heads about porn, Morgana’s message is a positive one.
It’s also relatable not just to the 50-plus lonely housewife niche. Although much of the film is about Morgana’s pornographic exploits and pursuits of pleasure, it also describes her crippling depression and fights with bipolar tendencies. Her journey began after her marriage. Spiraling into depression, she decided to end it all and made a flippant appointment with a male escort. After this night, she discovered that she wasn’t dead inside, nor should she end her life. Shortly after, she made an erotic film. Her short film, ‘Duty Bound’ won the competition she entered. Morgana’s self-esteem also won.
Suppression is the Root of all Evil – Morgana 2020
She went on to make many more films. She purports to the desire of creating porn that is the opposite of what is pumped out over and over by mainstream filmmakers. Despite being given the feminist porn filmmaker label, her movies, and art capture a wider scope. They are not just sex for sex’s sake. Morgana also promotes spirituality, body-positive reinforcement, and a way of living that fosters being part of your wildest dreams.
The film encapsulates more than just naked romps and orgies. She explains her journey candidly. What I loved was her thought process on being happy. And it was refreshing to see that she didn’t shy away from the epic lows she encountered. How getting what you want and being in a place of joy is sometimes scarier than anything else in the world. You don’t have to have depression. You also don’t have to suffer from bipolar to resonate with the sentiment of “the higher you go, the further to fall.” Ironically, the day I watched Morgana was perfect timing. Her inspirational and decisive messages about living for yourself are something I could get on board with.
What’s more, I also needed to hear that it’s never too late to change your life goals. Watching this woman forge friendships and, sink her divorce settlement into making movies, was a source of bravery any of us could aspire to.
Overall, Morgana is an inspirational documentary and a wonderful concept to get behind.
The Morgana movie is rated
4 finding your inner kink at any age out of 5
For more information on further release dates see the Facebook page or the Morgana website. Looking for other stories with real people? Electric Lampshade | DTF (Sex addicted Pilots) and The Story of 90 Coins includes real life stories.
“An Artistic Portrait of an Unforgettable Woman”
- Morgana was acquired as a screener for review purposes
- The documentary True Story film was released digitally in California from February 4th to 21st, 2021 as part of the SF Indiefest, 2021.
- Production by House of Gary
- Directed by Isabel Peppard + Josie Hess
Produced by Karina Astrup
Distributed by JUNO FILMS - Looking for another story based on real events? Lyvia’s House (thriller movie) and I Am Woman both feature true stories.
