
FRONT ROW SEATS, l-r: Ira, Denzil, Darren and Shelly at the film’s London première on Sunday BANNER: Ira in her domming days, with medical assistant (photo: Darren Cavanagh)
Ex-Dominatrix film: DVD release finally gets London première.
EX -DOMINATRIX FILM RELEASED: Darren Cavanagh’s feature-length documentary about the rise, fall and rebirth of legendary Belgian domina Goddess Ira, aka Mistress Lucrezia, is finally available.
OUT NOW: DVD of the Ex-Dominatrix movie
Ira (now known as Ira Jampo Lhamo) was guest of honour, accompanied by close pal and playmate Denzil Kennedy, one of the many friends, associates and family members who bear testament to Ira’s unique character in the documentary.
Other contributors joining the festivities at this bijou establishment included the film’s music composer Noko with partner Debbie Griffin and soundtrack vocalist Gaynor Perry.
Atsuko Kudo’s Simon Hoare, Bondinage’s Stephen Fuller and Murray & Vern’s Stuart Vern, who all contributed costumes for the Ex-Dominatrix film project, were also on hand to help down some celebratory prosecco.
A bonus of attending was that I got to chat with a couple of favourite fetish females I haven’t seen in the flesh since my Skin Two days: erstwhile event producer Nicky Rapley, and the film’s make-up artist Shelly Manser-Cavanagh, wife of Darren.
Other attendees with Skin Two links included Tim Woodward, who chuckled as he drew my attention to his quote on the front of the Ex-Dominatrix DVD box.
And sitting next to Tim during the screening was a glamorous blonde who turned out to be another ex-dominatrix — San Francisco’s Mistress Marilyn.
For many of the audience, it was the first time they’d seen the Ex-Dominatrix film in any form. For some of us who’d been privileged to follow its progress from the early stages, Sunday night was a first chance to see the final version in its full cinematic glory.
The film includes a detailed account, from multiple viewpoints, of the tragic incident at Ira’s premises that would change her life forever.
And scenes that show her daughter Charlotte (who now lives in Mexico) later revisiting what remained of their family home are very sad.
But while Ex-Dominatrix has a serious story to tell, its overall tone is not at all gloomy.
There is much joy in the re-telling of Ira’s kinky adventures and the story of the subsequent ‘rebirth’ that took her to India, and many humorous moments had the première crowd laughing with great gusto.
Ira told me afterwards that she was very happy for people to laugh at the film. In fact she seems very happy, period. Cavanagh’s film is, after all, ultimately not a plea for sympathy but proof that tragedies can be overcome and lead to positive outcomes.
Ex-Dominatrix: A True Story is available now on DVD, price £14.99, from ex-movie.com (link below). UK postage for a single DVD is included in the price; shipping costs to other destinations are displayed when you have begun the ordering process.
WIDE ANGLE: Ira doing yoga (Darren Cavanagh)
Currently the DVD is only available in Region 2 format (covering UK, Europe, Japan, the Middle East, Egypt, South Africa and Greenland).
To watch it outside Region 2 countries, you will need either a multi-region DVD player or a computer that hasn’t used up all its region changes.
BELOW: Faces at the Ex-Dominatrix première (photos: Tony Mitchell); BOTTOM: Watch the trailer
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