Isabella Rossellini Films X-Rated Eco-Short

When the Sundance Channel wanted to break into the business of the “third screen” (the movie theater screen being first, TV being second, and computers, iPods and phones being third), they hired Isabella Rossellini to capture people’s attention.

“I thought, ‘capture people’s attention?’ Sex!” she mused in an interview.

Insect sex, that is. In a series of eight shorts, Rossellini writes, directs and stars as several different species, including a praying mantis and a worm, copulating. The films combine a costumed Rossellini and live-action animation, and while they get quite graphic, the use of puppets and the naive tone she takes with her stories make them appear very PG-13. But there’s plenty for fans of Blue Velvet, too.

“Sadomasochism excites me,” she says while dressed as a snail.

What does it all have to do with Green? Not all that much, really: according to the Sundance press release, the title “echoes the ecological movement of today and our interest in nature.” Still, the title of the short, Green Porno, was actually selected intentionally as a keyword to drive search engine traffic.

Rossellini, who lives part-time on Long Island, is a devoted conservationist and sits on the board of the Wildlife Conservation Network. She has also contributed her efforts to the Central Park Conservancy and serves as National Ambassador for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

The films premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February, and are now available for download to your phone and iPod.

• Green Porno (Sundance)

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