HUMP! Jury confessions:
Cain
August 12th, 2025
What does it take for a film to stand out among hundreds of annual submissions? The HUMP! Jury shares what it was about this 2025 Fall film that caught their attention.
Q: You’re back in the jury room and Cain has just started. First impression?
Juror #1: I’m liking this audio, the visuals are glamorous and intriguing, and the artistry of it is undeniable.
Juror #2: Stunning black and white cinematography immediately sets a contemplative tone. The pacing is deliberate and still, which offered a moment of quiet and reflection—especially welcome after some of the more intense or chaotic films that came before. It felt like a visual exhale.
Juror #3: It was like seeing a beautiful black and white photograph come to life, something you’d see hanging on the wall at an expensive art gallery, only in motion. The rich contrast of tones, the framing... I think my actual first thought was “Impeccable.”
Q: Was there a particular moment that made you say, “This one is special?”
Juror #1: The film drew me in and eased me into the sexy encounter. Very palatable. Easy to swallow, no pun intended, lol.
Juror #2: Initially, I thought I was watching a straightforward SMM film—but then it started to unfold more like a piece of performance art. The careful choreography, the lighting, the way the camera lingers without rushing—it all started to reveal something deeper. That shift from genre to art made it feel like something more than just erotic; it became expressive.
Juror #3: There is a very brief part in the film where the actor is lying on their side, making direct eye contact with the camera. A lot of the film makes the viewer feel like a voyeur/observer to the actor’s experience, and in that moment, I felt very invited in to be a part of the experience as well.
Film still from “Cain” - Part of the 2025 Fall Lineup
Q: HUMP! is all about elevating the adult genre, pushing boundaries, and showcasing the full spectrum of human sexuality. What is it about Cain that aligns it with those values?
Juror #1: It’s not often that we get to see an uncut member, let alone through a magnifying glass!
Juror #2: Cain strips away distraction—literally and metaphorically. It’s intimate and raw, focusing almost entirely on a single body in motion. The performer’s eye contact with the camera is striking; it creates this sense that you're being directly addressed or even seen. That vulnerability—being so exposed, with no set dressing or supporting cast to hide behind—felt deeply aligned with what HUMP! celebrates: authenticity, risk-taking, and human complexity in sexual expression.
Juror #3: One thing you’ll notice often in mainstream porn is the through line of lighting/the styling of it. It’s always exciting to see the different and creative ways people choose to shoot their films for HUMP!. Cain manages to provide a really unique visual experience while also not shying away from direct and explicit scenes. In Cain we get to experience creativity and playfulness alongside what is just genuinely a really great jerk off scene.
Q: What do you find the most erotic about the film as a whole?
Juror #1: I didn’t even consciously realize it was in black and white.
Juror #2: There’s a brief but powerful moment when the performer slips into a latex corset. It’s not overt or showy, but something about the transformation—the texture, the tension, the shift in posture—adds a jolt of erotic energy. It’s subtle but highly charged.
Juror #3: The general sense of someone being lost in play and pleasure, aware of the viewer/voyeur, but still focused on themselves and their own experience.
Let’s wrap it up short and sweet. Describe Cain to audiences everywhere in just five words or less.
Juror #1: Solo exploration involving high glamour.
Juror #2: Intimate. Stark. Vulnerable. Hypnotic. Erotic.
Juror #3: Black & white, striking, playful, exhibitionism, cum. And yes, I’m counting black & white as one word.
Experience the artful, erotic elegance of Cain along with 21 more incredible new films when the 2025 Fall Lineup comes to a city near you.