The short film series The Teat Beat of Sex came to our attention last year after VICE published an interview with its Latvian-American animator, Signe Baumane, under the attention-grabbing title How Women Think About Sex. To our immense pleasure, the series (from 2008) is as intelligent and funny as it is graphic. Each of the 15 short films takes a subject (like masturbation or pubic hair) and in under two minutes, delivers a punchy, creatively animated and personally philosophical take on the subject.
Baumane doesn’t fear genitalia and, if you do, perhaps her work is not for you. Some of The Teat Beat of Sex shorts are pure sex and some are more anecdotal or story-driven. We have opted to give LWLies readers a gentle introduction to Baumane by way of Graveyard, which is notable for its lack of clitoral imagery. Still, the shape-shifting visuals that represent the sensory experiences of excited characters and Baumane’s fast-paced narration are a reliable sample of the way she rolls.
Baumane’s debut feature is about mental illness and she claims that this subject is less taboo than sex: “When you present films about sex in front of thousands of people and then you make a film about your personal depression, depression compared to sex, it’s not as bad,” she told Little White Lies. If you like what you see below and are ready to have euphemistic delicacy around sex blown to smithereens you should track down the rest of The Teat Beat of Sex Series.
Published 15 Jul 2015
Signe Baumane describes her journey from a Soviet mental hospital to director of animated feature, Rocks in my Pockets.
By Sarah Jilani
The medium once described as “anti-cinema” is pushing the boundaries of the artform.
Andrew Haigh captures the timeless terror, trepidation and humour of sex in his brilliant new film.
Little White Lies was established in 2005 as a bi-monthly print magazine committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them. Combining cutting-edge design, illustration and journalism, we’ve been described as being “at the vanguard of the independent publishing movement.” Our reviews feature a unique tripartite ranking system that captures the different aspects of the movie-going experience. We believe in Truth & Movies.
