Distracted by Porno

It's a crazy, scary, surreal time for Italian politics, and like many I am torn between

anger and frustration at the sad state of our democracy and hopes for a real change. 

Outraged by the shameless, vulgar, arrogant machismo of our political rulers, 

last night I consoled myself rewatching one of my favorite icons of Italian style, 

 the always lovely, classy, smart and free spirited Isabella Rossellini 

narrating and playacting the bizarre sex lives of animals.

A few years ago Isabella was encouraged by Robert Redford to create a series 

of very short films intended for the new audience of mobile Internet and You Tube. 

Being a serious animal lover, she came out with the concept for a low tech, 

irreverent, funny and sexy take on educational nature documentaries.

Rossellini then wrote, produced, directed and starred in some very unusual 

but scientifically sound videos about the mating habits of insects.

The highly successful Green Porno project won two Webby awards in 2009, 

and was followed by two more series about sea animals and a book.

Green Porno's offspring Seduce me focuses on the often bizarre rituals 

that precede mating, and features creatures ranging from salmons to snakes 

to cuttlefish. Two series have been produced, for a total of ten videos.

You can watch all of Isabella's animal shorts on Sundance Channel.

The recent Sundance festival also premiered Animals Distract Me, the new 

Rossellini film following her concern for wildlife "as she visits with Mario Batali, 

Andre Leon Talley, Charles Darwin, and a host of urban creatures in New York City". 

The feature will debut on Earth Day (April 22nd) on Discovery Channel's Planet Green.