Sowing the Seeds of Love, 18min., USA
Directed by Riley Young
Sowing the Seeds of Love explores the obscure and peculiar sex lives of animals through the eyes of Hulk Hogan (1980’s WWE wrestler icon), Joyce DeWitt (Janet Wood from the popular 1970’s sitcom Three’s Company), and Robert Picardo (known for his character as the Holographic Doctor on the 1990’s Star Trek: Voyager series). Their role in this film is to satire their popularity to make the subject of animal sexuality more digestible to those without a scientific background.
https://www.rileyoung.com/new-page-1
Get to know the filmmaker:
What was your motivation to make this film?
My true motivation for making this film was to find an engaging and accessible way to communicate science to a broad audience. With a background in Marine Science, I experienced firsthand during my capstone research project how challenging it can be to make scientific concepts exciting and understandable for those without a science background. That realization led me to pursue documentary filmmaking as a way to bridge that gap—bringing science to life in a way that is fun, accurate, and captivating for viewers of all backgrounds.
Two major inspirations shaped this film. The first was Jean Painlevé, a French filmmaker and pioneer of underwater cinema. His films explored the mysteries of marine life while blending science with humor, making complex topics engaging and accessible. The second was Isabella Rossellini's Green Porno series, where she playfully reenacts animal mating behaviors in surreal, theatrical settings. Her bold, unconventional approach to documentary filmmaking opened my eyes to new ways of presenting science—ways that are visually striking, thought-provoking, and deeply entertaining. Both of these influences challenged traditional documentary styles, incorporating themes of sexual identity, gender norms, and finding beauty in the unexpected—ideas that became a driving force behind my own film.
Drawing from these inspirations, I wanted to create something fresh, quirky, and exciting while still staying true to scientific accuracy. That's how Sowing the Seeds of Love was born. My film follows a trio of celebrity hosts who use humor, animation, and their star power to educate audiences about unconventional animal mating science—while drawing thought-provoking parallels to societal conversations around sexual identities. My goal is to reach people who might not typically watch documentaries—because let's face it, the word "documentary" alone can turn some people away. I want to change that by proving that science can be just as entertaining as it is enlightening.
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