Sex Life of Robots

Sex Life of Robots is an animated short film directed by Michael Sullivan and produced by Richard Skidmore.[1] The film shows imaginary sexual activities among robots.

The plot of Sex Life of Robots is centered on a baby robot and a mother robot who are looking for pornography in the computer of their home. In this process, scenes of sexual intercourse among robots is shown in their computer screen.[2]

Sex Life of Robots was made using stop motion animation technique.[3] The design of the robots shown in the film were based on toys such as, among others, the fashion doll Barbie and the G.I. Joe action figures.[4] The film was edited by its producer Richard Skidmore.[1]

According to director Sullivan, "It's supposed to be like a silent robot porno movie from another planet." Although the film is a kind of pornography, according to Wired columnist Dylan Tweney, Sex Life of Robots "exhibits a high degree of artistry" which is full of "gritty, industrialized atmosphere".[2] The New York magazine described the film as "art-porn".[5] According to online news portal Terra Chile, the character of robot mother was inspired by American singer-songwriter and actress Debbie Harry.[6]

A trailer of the film was uploaded on YouTube, but it was later removed because its pornographic nature created controversy.[4][6] Sex Life of Robots was premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2006.[1] In July 2009, the film was shown in the Museum of Sex in New York City during a party organized by the New York City Activist Council of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA).[7]

The Tribeca Film Festival commented on the film, "Romance is swept aside by the mechanical imperative to inject robot sperm into robot eggs in this two-minute teaser of The Sex Lives of Robots. Lascivious machinery and a larger-than-life Deborah Harry robot drives this one-note plot to its inevitable climax."[1]