THE WORLD’S BEST AMATEUR PORN FILM FESTIVAL

Welcome to HUMP! An extraordinary celebration of human sexuality, creativity, and cinematic artistry. Founded in 2005 by the ingenious minds of Dan Savage, HUMP! began as a bold experiment inviting readers of Seattle’s Alt-Weekly, The Stranger, to submit their homemade  local sex tapes anonymously. Uncertain of the response, they were amazed at what poured in, setting the stage for what would become a global phenomenon, The HUMP! Film Festival, the world’s best amateur porn film festival. HUMP! is not your average porn site on the internet. HUMP! is lovingly curated festival of short erotic films made by real people for real people.

 From its inception, HUMP! embraced an open-minded approach, showcasing a diverse and exhilarating lineup of films that defied conventions. From hot and steamy vignettes to imaginative and kinky fantasies, each film offered a cornucopia of body types, ages, colors, sexualities, genders, kinks, and fetishes—all united by a shared spirit of sex-positivity.

 With overwhelming success, HUMP! evolved into an annual event in Seattle and Portland, introducing a few exciting new rules: films were limited to a maximum of five minutes and prohibited from including minors, animals, or poop.  Also, filmmakers were encouraged to incorporate playful "extra credit" items as a nod to HUMP! exclusivity, adding a humorous touch of creativity to the submissions.

 The festival's popularity grew exponentially, drawing fans from all over the country to experience anywhere between 16-23 local homemade sex films projected on the big screen. Exclusive to HUMP!, these films were a rare treat, available in theaters for one exhilarating weekend only. As the event expanded to three weeks, an enthusiastic audience of over twenty thousand relished the opportunity to explore diverse expressions of sexuality, casting paper ballots and playfully depositing them into vulva-shaped ballot boxes at the end of each screening. The top four films were honored with cash prizes, culminating in a symbolic ritual as Dan Savage would dramatically destroy the single DVD that had played these films all weekend, ensuring their privacy was preserved forever.

 In 2014, HUMP! set off a nationwide buzz, with fervent requests pouring in from fans across the country, pleading for HUMP! to visit their cities. Responding to the overwhelming demand, HUMP! embarked on its first ambitious tour, captivating audiences in fourteen cities, starting with sold-out shows in Chicago at The Music Box Theater. The momentum of the tour was unstoppable, with HUMP! eventually touring to over fifty cities across the U.S. and Canada. Initially, only audiences in Seattle and Portland could cast their votes, but by 2018, San Francisco and later Vancouver joined in the electrifying process.

 In 2020, HUMP! faced an unexpected obstacle when the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of traditional theater screenings. Ever adaptable, the festival sought the opinions of their dedicated filmmakers, who overwhelmingly supported the idea of streaming the film lineup to audiences from the comfort of their homes. This new approach allowed for wider accessibility and smaller communities to join in the celebration of sexuality and art. Rather than award just four filmmaker top prizes, HUMP! shared and still to this day continues to share a percentage of every ticket sold with all filmmakers in the lineup. After an eighteen-month hiatus, HUMP! triumphantly returned to theaters in the fall of 2021, presenting the option of streaming the same lineup from home, enriching the festival experience even further.

 In 2023, HUMP! added select European cities, including Berlin & Amsterdam to the tour. Furthermore, HUMP! unveiled a new streaming library, granting viewers access to a handpicked selection of past HUMP! lineups, providing a timeless appreciation of festival's creative brilliance.

 True to its origins, HUMP! remains committed to its roots, annually kicking off its spring festival in theaters in Seattle and Portland. Subsequently, the festival embarks on a captivating global tour, while ensuring that audiences worldwide can partake in the exhilarating experience by streaming past and current HUMP! lineups from the comfort of their homes.

 Now in its nineteenth season, HUMP! continues to accept submissions that shock and amaze audiences with a creative new lineup of films each year!