Cinema of Disobedience began at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) in 2025. They met there as filmmakers and artists who, despite different backgrounds and practices, shared the same feeling. The film industry was reaching a breaking point. Markets were becoming unbearable, narrowing what could be made, shown, or even imagined.

In that moment, they decided to join forces, as they are stronger together than alone. 

Since then, Cinema of Disobedience has become international and diverse, shaped by multiple geographies, identities, and cinematic languages. This expansion was not strategic but necessary!    Alongside the manifesto, they chose to include personal statements. They did this because their diversity cannot be reduced to a single message, logline, or sales pitch. Each voice carries its own contradictions, histories, and positions. Together, they form a shared refusal to let cinema be flattened into something easily marketable.

Queerguru discovered the existence of C.O.D. from radical filmmaker Todd Verow. He made short experimental films and worked as a cinematographer for Gregg Araki (TOTALLY FED UP) and Jon Moritsugu (MOD F EXPLOSION and TERMINAL USA) before making his directorial feature film debut with FRISK in 1996. Starting his own production company, Bangor Films, Todd has directed over thirty-five award-winning features and numerous shorts, establishing himself as the most prolific auteur emeritus of the New Queer Cinema. Fiercely independent, he proudly describes himself as an underground filmmaker in the tradition of his idols George and Mike Kuchar, Kenneth Anger, Jack Smith and Andy Warhol.

Next up is CoD’s Special Program at Moviemento Kino Berlin  which will include a screening of Verow’s BEHIND THE OPEN DOOR. Its a no-holds-barred, fly-on-the-wall documentary about the life of a cum dump. As Corey Hudson (not his real name) gets ready for an all-night cum dump session, he talks about how he started on his sexual journey and the philosophy of cum dumping. As the evening progresses, and he takes load after load from anonymous men, Corey offers advice on how to set up a cum dump session and his thoughts on the exploding cum dump culture.