Rosa Friedrich’s Hybrid Documentary-Erotic Feature ‘My Friend the Porn Star’ Previews at Karlovy Vary

An Austrian writer-director is bringing a documentary approach to an erotic film project in Rosa Friedrich’s hybrid feature My Friend the Porn Star, with an exclusive trailer released Tuesday as the film prepares to debut in the Proxima competition program at the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The Hollywood Reporter previewed the trailer and described the project as a cross between documentary filmmaking and the world of pornography, framed around the practical and personal dynamics of getting an erotic production made.

Friedrich, who has previously directed the film Wander, is set to make her Karlovy Vary competition premiere with My Friend the Porn Star, which she developed after a friend, identified in festival materials as Timo, expressed interest in starring in what he described as an “artistic erotic film.” According to the report, Friedrich was not previously focused on pornography as a subject, but agreed to help Timo move the idea toward production, and to document the process alongside bringing the project to the screen.

The film’s narrative, as previewed, turns on what it means to watch and make pornography in a candid, behind-the-scenes way, while also tracking changes in how Timo approaches the plan as shooting nears. The report indicates that the documentary framework follows the friend’s mounting doubts and embarrassment as the production timeline gets closer, and it positions the film as a self-aware journey that combines observational filmmaking with the mechanics of casting and preparation for an erotic production.

My Friend the Porn Star is produced by Dominic Spitaler for Austria’s Kacerovsky, which the report notes was formerly known as ostblok. The production credits cited in the coverage include Laura Ettel as director of photography and Melanie Schmidt as editor. For sales and distribution, the trailer release credits New Docs with handling sales and Stadtkino Filmverleih as the distributor in Austria, linking the festival debut to the film’s broader European release plan after Karlovy Vary.

The world premiere is scheduled for Tuesday, July 7, as part of Proxima in the 60th edition of the festival. Proxima is the competition program within Karlovy Vary that spotlights emerging and distinctive voices, and the placement places the hybrid format of the project under the festival’s formal program structure, with screenings expected to draw attention to how erotic content is handled in an art-house documentary setting.

The release also raises the question of how filmmakers and festivals manage public expectations and audience boundaries when a title and subject matter may be sensitive. While the project’s concept and marketing emphasize an “artistic erotic” framing and an observational method, it is still an erotic production presented through a festival platform and accompanied by an industry trailer. The next step for the film will be its Proxima screening at Karlovy Vary on July 7, followed by any subsequent festival coverage and distribution decisions as the sales and domestic release plans move forward.