The Pleasure of Rope is undoubtedly the definitive shibari documentary, especially now there is a full 3-DVD version out now with an extra 100 minutes of unseen footage! As with all these things, the director submitted a lot of footage he expected to get rejected by our censors, the BBFC. However, we are delighted to say that nothing got rejected! Given the recent restrictive laws in the UK covering BDSM related content, this sets a rather encouraging precedent.
This is an amazing, in-depth behind the scenes look into the fascinating world of Japanese rope bondage (aka kinbaku or shibari) by Bob Bentley, one of the UK’s visionary directors and BAFTA award winner. It has been 5 years in the making, during which time he has followed many of the participants, internationally famous performers and models including: Kazami Ranki, Akira Naka, Gestalta, Midori, Kinoko Hajime, Osada Steve, Nawashi Murakawa, Nina Russ, Gorgone, Iroha Shizuki and many others.
Bob’s journey started over 6 years ago when we met in Bethnal Green, London, at the London Festival of the Art of Japanese Rope Bondage. Eventually, it took him all the way to Tokyo to get to the roots of the subject. The meeting came about because a friend suggested to Bob that he should check out our festival. I assume this was because he had directed a Channel 4 documentary on Hokusai’s ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa‘, probably Japan’s most iconic image, and is a keen collector of woodblock prints, especially shunga (erotic art). As a result, the germ of the idea for a documentary was planted. Little did he know how deep down the rabbit hole he would go or that the journey would be so long.
In many ways, it was extremely fortuitous that it took so long to come to fruition because it has become an unique record of a very special period in the history of the development of kinbaku in the west. Bob has been there throughout this important period that has witnessed kinbaku, as it is done by the Japanese professionals, spread like wildfire throughout the west. The festival was the one of the first events to bring Japanese nawashi and their knowledge to the west. Prior to this, virtually the only way to get tuition of this level was to go to Japan or be taught by the few that had done so. Certainly, shibari was being taught in the west at that time but the vast majority was, in truth, more of a fusion style than following any specific ryu or even close to the aesthetic. The documentary captures not only the evolution of rope in the west but also those involved with it. It is undoubtedly a remarkable and important achievement. Having witnessed what Bob has put into this, I am sure this is his opus magnus.
You might have already seen a shorter 90 minute version as a download on Vimeo but the 3-DVD set doubles the content with previously unseen footage. Never before has there been such a thorough exploration of this art. So far, I was managed to grab 20 of the first copies available which you can buy here for only £29.95 with free worldwide shipping. There is also a coffee table book of the documentary with the same name, now available on Amazon.
The Pleasure of Rope – In-depth shibari documenatry on Vimeo.