Dan Savage went from Seattle-based sex columnist to film programmer (of sorts) when, in 2005, he debuted the HUMP! Film Festival. Since then, the event has showcased short pornographic films that range from “the delightfully kinky to the hilariously risqué,” all submitted by amateur filmmakers.
HUMP, touted on its website as “the world’s best indie erotic film fest,” returns to Pittsburgh in May for the first of a two-part tour marking 20 years of sexy fun. The second leg of the tour promises to deliver “a brand-new set of films in the same cities from September to November.”
HUMP! will light up the screen at Parkway Theater in McKees Rocks, with screening blocks on Fri., May 9 and Sat., May 10. The selections range from a stop-motion animated film about two furries in Orca suits, a “raunchy, campy, over-the-top horror-comedy,” and Jell-O erotica (yes, it’s exactly what you think it is). As with previous years, the short films explore BDSM, foot fetishization, LGBTQ love and desire, and more in a sex-positive fashion.
Parkway Theater owner Aaron Stubna says he had been interested in hosting HUMP! “for quite a few years, but “put it on the back burner” until some regulars mentioned that the festival was looking for a Pittsburgh venue for its 20th- anniversary tour.
“So I dug deep to do some more research,” Stubna tells Pittsburgh City Paper. “Found a contact. Reached out. [Thirty] minutes later a representative emailed me back.”
Stubna says he hopes Parkway can host the tour’s second leg later this year.
Since Stubna and his team took over the abandoned property on 644 Broadway Ave. in 2014, the venue has built a reputation as a spot for arthouse and independent cinema, as well as a showcase for locally made works like those shown during the monthly Film Kitchen series. Parkway has also expanded over the years, adding an on-site microbrewery to its offerings with beer by Abjuration Brewing.
HUMP! has graced Pittsburgh movie screens before, and not without some controversy. In 2014, the former Hollywood Theater had to drop the festival under pressure from Dormont borough officials, who claimed that the event violated zoning laws regarding pornography. Five years later, local film programmers and HUMP! representatives clashed when an article claimed the festival had suddenly been pulled from the now-closed Regent Square Theater.
He says he and his wife attended HUMP when it screened at the now-closed East Liberty venue, Ace Hotel, which he described as “a chaotic but fun experience.”
“The place was packed, so I always look at it as a great opportunity to pull in new clientele,” he adds.
Stubna believes hosting a higher profile event like HUMP! would help draw curious audiences to the theater and the growing Stowe Township business district. According to the Parkway website, the first May 9 screening block has already sold out.
“I look at it as a way to pull in a whole new audience of local Pittsburghers who have no idea that the Parkway Theater exists and what we do there,” he explains. “And it is the perfect venue because we have a full cocktail Lounge bar, a brewery on site, and eatery with a nice menu, plus the Theater itself, it’s a very unique space in Pittsburgh. We have been there 13 years and there’s still people just finding us.”
HUMP! Film Festival: Part One. 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Fri., May 9. Continues through Sat., May 10. Parkway Theater. 644 Broadway Ave., McKees Rocks. $20. humpfilmfest.com
This article appears in Apr 30 – May 6, 2025.
