What’s Owl Pussy?
Directed by Darian Parham, also known as Wild Recluse, Owl Pussy is an experimental short documentary that invites viewers into a heartfelt exploration of femininity in all its fluid, multifaceted forms. What began as a photo series capturing vulnerability through nude portraits blossomed into something much more intimate, as Parham picked up a VHS camera and recorded candid, soul-baring conversations about self-love, sexuality, and what it means to be feminine.
The film’s title is a loving nod to the 1970 romantic comedy The Owl and the Pussycat, known for its playful exploration of unconventional connections. This inspiration flows into the film’s closing credits, which feature a song that draws from "The Confrontation," a standout track on the original movie’s soundtrack.
Owl Pussy weaves together dreamy, personal visuals with fragments of raw dialogue, creating a collage of connection and self-discovery. The women featured share how their sexuality has shaped their understanding of femininity and their journeys through love—especially within the messy, beautiful complexities of relationships. Their unfiltered reflections reveal how they care for their bodies, reclaim love on their own terms, and break free of societal expectations.
Blurring the boundaries between stillness and motion, Owl Pussy feels like a conversation with a close friend—warm, vulnerable, and deeply honest. It’s a celebration of femininity, a reclamation of identity, and a reminder of the beauty in embracing all the pieces that make us who we are.
Director’s statement
Owl Pussy was a project that found me rather than one I intentionally set out to create. In many ways, it is a commemoration of my sexual and spiritual journey throughout my twenties—a decade of self-discovery, reckoning, and release. Much of my spiritual awakening has been tied to shedding the shame that clung to me since adolescence, a shame deeply intertwined with my sensuality. Through my work, I have continually explored the intersection of eroticism and spirituality, seeking to understand the profound connection between sex, love, and vulnerability.
No matter the medium, my artistic practice has been shaped by my lived experiences. Art has become a vessel for me to process and honor the complexity of my desires, my body, and my power. Owl Pussy is an extension of that ongoing exploration, a visual and sonic archive of pleasure, self-acceptance, and liberation. Working with the women in this project was a powerful affirmation of that journey—holding space for them to express their raw, untamed energy on film reminded me of my own strength. In witnessing them, I witnessed myself.
Nature, too, has been an essential part of my unraveling and understanding. The land holds stories of transformation, of cycles of shedding and renewal. In the same way that the earth reclaims, breaks down, and nurtures, I have found myself returning to the wild to reclaim the parts of me that were once buried under guilt and repression. Owl Pussy is a love letter to that process—a reclamation, a ritual, a release.
My work continues to be an open invitation—an exploration of sensuality as it intertwines with eroticism and the creative process. I want to inspire others to alchemize their shame into creativity, to see their own power reflected in the act of making, expressing, and existing fully. This project is for those who need it, for those ready to soften into themselves, and for those who long to remember the beauty of their own becoming.
owl pussy
Music Video
Acknowledgements
With deep gratitude and reverence, I thank you for your trust, vulnerability, and presence in the creation of Owl Pussy. This film would not exist without your voices, stories, and willingness to bare your skin and essence before my lens. Your courage and openness have moved me profoundly, allowing us to co-create something raw, honest, and liberating. I cherish the moments we shared, the trust exchanged, and the beauty we captured together. Thank you for embracing the unknown, for your laughter, your tenderness, and your truth. I hope this film honors you as deeply as you have honored me.