With streaming services like Netflix and Hulu continuing to branch out with original content, filmmakers have more opportunities to show their work on a broader-range platform. Filmmaker Tosca Musk, took this same concept to a new level by founding Passionflix, a streaming service for toe-curling romances. With original content being added regularly, its subscribers are growing at a steady pace.
The channel was founded in 2017 by Musk, producer Jina Panebianco, and writer Joany Kane. They created a place to make best-selling romance novels into movies and series. The director, Musk, says on the platform's website: "As a big lover of romance, I am so thrilled to be able to present empowering love stories for women and men through Passionflix."
Original Book Adaptations
While Passionflix does host some licensed content, such as the film Conversations With Other Women, their original content is solely focused on true-to-page romance book adaptions. One of the key selling points to these adaptions is the author's input on the screenplay, and other key areas of filming. The Gabriel's Inferno trilogy is one example of this core principle.
The book of the same name, written by Silvain Reynard, has 4/5 stars on GoodReads, and is even more popular among romance fans. Gabriel's Inferno is the story of how Julia Mitchell, played by Melanie Zanetti, falls for the mysterious Dante specialist, Gabriel Emerson, played by Guilio Berutti. When she enrolls in his graduate class, their attraction brings past and present problems into their lives.
The films, directed by Musk, are loved by the book's fans. There is a focus on the smallest details, such as the purple-colored towels in Julia's room. The faithful interpretation of the dialogue, and the cast's portrayals of the characters were accurate and realistic to the written versions. Even the book's author has spoken out in support of the adaption.
In order to encompass all the material contained in the book, Musk turned one book into three films. Without worrying about a shortened runtime, the films had the freedom to focus on the journey in its entirety. The second book, Gabriel's Redemption, follows the same filmmaking style. The sequel has two films available on the platform, with the final installment premiering August 12.
Attention to Steamy Detail
Another example of Musk's dedication to literal interpretation are the steamy love scenes. All avid readers understand the importance of love scenes and how they bring the characters together. Hollywood Dirt, is fantastic at showing the sexual tension between the characters, while leading the audience to a satisfying climax.
Hollywood Dirt is the story of movie star Cole Masten, played by Jonathan Urb, as he begins filming a new movie in a small town. When country girl Summer Jenkins, played by Emma Rigby, shows a talent scout her authenticity, she finds herself cast as the lead love interest. Conflicting worlds unite between the stubborn co-stars' attractions.
Every detail surrounding Alessandra Torre's original love story makes it to the screen. The sexual scenes contain a lot of detail that is not safe for work; however, it is done in a tasteful way. Rather than peering in on a lewd act, the audience is shown the intimacy that makes the characters' relationship all the more real. By using that intimacy, Hollywood Dirt was realistically in showing Cole and Summer's opposites attract amour.
Subscription Based
Musk chose a great platform to begin showing her work to audiences. With a monthly subscription of $5.99 for full access to their content, audiences do not have to pay a huge amount to help the service get out of its beginning stages. Subscribers have access to the Passionflix website, but the content is also available on Amazon Prime as an extra channel. This is especially convenient for Prime subscribers having all of their subscriptions in one place. Amazon Prime also has the individual Passionflix films for sale or rent, as they do for many other movies and TV shows not included in their subscription.
While Passionflix is still new and was hindered by the Covid-19 shutdown in 2020, the amount of content is ample for the asking price. Musk and other key members are working diligently to create more quality content to sate the appetite of the viewers. They already have multiple movies, shorts, and an ongoing series. There are more on the way, with films already slated in pre-production and premiering soon. With the ever-expanding catalog, subscribers are happy with the monthly price for such a small wait time.
Passionflix is a streaming service dedicated to staying true to book lover's visions. Tosca Musk's films are giving the romance genre a well-deserved shake-up. The films and series adaptions are added at such a quick pace that subscribers are happy to pay a monthly subscription to see the content as it releases. It is a great service to consider adding to any book-lover's must-watch list.