Art of Erotica: The Outsiders

Where do we draw the line between what's beautiful and what's pornographic' Director Hilton Ariel Ruiz poses this question and more in his provocative portrait of five artists who have turned their focus to what some have deemed obscenity. The subjects are four photographers and an illustrator whose artistic focus inhabits the world of fetish erotica. Ruiz gets up close and personal with the artists' craft - showing fetish photography and film shoots - while posing broader questions surrounding the First Amendment rights of artists. Among the subjects is renowned photographer Barbara Nitke, whose lawsuit against the government challenged the constitutionality of the Internet obscenity laws that restrict the exhibition of her photos of pornographic actors. Art of Erotica: The Outsiders is a thoughtful examination of a fringe community that dares to challenge the extremes of sexuality in art.