Dark Desert Highway

Set against the backdrop of a sun-baked desert, our latest release - Dark Desert Highway, follows a couple that dares to bring their deepest fantasies to life. Her fantasy of being dominated in a dangerous, isolated place takes hold, leading them into a raw, intense, rough, and unrestrained desire. Can a wild fantasy turn into a deeply intimate experience? To answer this question, we spoke with the film’s director, Florence Bark, about her inspirations, kink, and feminist adult films.

Watch Dark Desert Highway here

LustZine: Tell us a little about yourself and your filmmaking journey. How did you get involved in the adult cinema industry?

Florence Bark: I started dreaming of making films while studying at Camberwell University of the Arts London. I was fascinated by sex scenes in movies, always wishing they would go further. To me, bodies are art, and I wanted to create beautiful, cinematic films that truly capture sex the way I believe it should be shown. That's where my interest in the adult industry began.

After university, I worked as a camera trainee for Guillermo Navarro, the cinematographer behind Pan’s Labyrinth. I initially thought I wanted to be a cinematographer, but soon realized I was drawn to feminist adult cinema. I met Reed, my co-host of Come Curious, while working at an incredibly dodgy porn company, and together we built a sex education platform that evolved into a podcast.
Our journey into adult cinema filmmaking began when we directed a "tips and tricks" series for Erika Lust about five years ago. However, my true passion has always been creating more elaborate, cinematic films, and that’s where it all started!

LustZine: Who are your biggest influences, inside and outside of the adult industry? How have they shaped your work and creative vision?

Florence: I’ve always been obsessed with art house films, especially the works of Lars von Trier and Gaspar Noé. I loved how each shot carried deep meaning, often telling more of the story than the script itself. There was always more to discover beyond the surface.
After university, my taste shifted. I moved away from pretentious films and gravitated toward well-scripted, engaging ones that stayed with you long after watching. The Watchmen was the film that made me want to work in cinema—gritty, dark, sexy, and boundary-pushing. I love things that push boundaries… as you might presume!

In the adult industry, Erika Lust has been a constant source of inspiration. I see the growing need for more creators, especially women, making adult films that are safe, educational, consensual, and ethical. The more we create, the more we can positively reshape the porn industry’s image.

LustZine: What excites you the most about creating cinematic experiences in the adult film world?

Florence: I believe in creating films that fully immerse the audience, making them feel the performers' connection through the screen. The goal is to make viewers feel like they’re part of the experience, getting just as turned on as the people on camera. That’s the power of adult cinema—it can put you in the story, offering something you might not experience otherwise and opening your eyes to new things to explore.

Everything about the adult industry excites me. I’m passionate about it and see bodies and sex as art. Sex is a fundamental part of being human, yet we treat it with so much taboo and shame, which I find fascinating.

LustZine: Dark Desert Highway takes place in a raw, elemental environment—the desert. What inspired you to choose this setting?

Florence: The desert has always fascinated me because it’s so different from the green fields and lush landscapes where I grew up in the UK. It’s a dry, barren, wild place with dangerous animals like rattlesnakes and scorpions, and the isolation gives you a sense of urgency and scarcity. That’s why I chose this location for a BDSM kidnapping scene, where a couple is consensually role-playing in the desert, with the hot air brushing past their skin. Filming in the desert was magical—it made us all feel like we were somewhere we didn’t quite belong, creating a truly unique and special experience together.

LustZine: The themes in the film revolve around pushing boundaries and exploring a non-consensual fantasy. What drew you to these themes?

Florence: In this film, we do push boundaries with kink and the consensual non-consensual fantasy of kidnapping. It’s a fantasy many people have but often feel ashamed of, and I wanted to explore it in a way that is clearly consensual yet still hot, raw, and rough. The performers' genuine chemistry was crucial in making it feel organic.

Personally, I’ve always been into kink and BDSM, but I haven’t explored it in the way I’ve fantasized about. Making this film allowed me to live out one of my fantasies, and I hope it helps others do the same, especially those who may not have the opportunity to explore it with a partner. It can be a launchpad for them to feel less shame about a fantasy many people secretly share.

LustZine: Erika Lust mentioned that the movie shows a "powerful and unexpectedly sweet connection." How did you work with the actors to create that deep, authentic chemistry?

Florence: It’s amazing that Erika said this about King Noire and Arson Leigh! I had worked with them before, shooting behind-the-scenes footage, and I saw firsthand how well they worked together. Their passion for each other and for kink made them perfect for this film. I wanted this to be their chance to indulge in their own desert kidnapping fantasy, and the chemistry you see on screen is absolutely real—everyone was deeply into the story and the kink.

We had lots of discussions during pre-production over Zoom and Facetime, working out what turned them on. For example, Arson suggested being dragged through the dirt, which became the perfect intro for the scene.
I put a lot of effort into making King and Arson feel comfortable and like movie stars on the day of the shoot. We had an incredible intimacy coordinator who supported them throughout, and watching them perform gave me so many moments of pure joy. I couldn’t stop grinning—I just love seeing them together.

LustZine: How do you see the landscape of feminist and ethical adult cinema evolving? Where do you hope to see it go in the next few years?

Florence: I see so many incredible female and queer directors in the scene, and companies like ERIKALUST are giving us a platform to bring our fantasies to life through the films we create. I believe the industry is going to see a lot of progression in the coming years, with more independent filmmakers getting involved and audiences expanding their horizons in terms of the content they want to consume.

LustZine: When you're not making films, what do you enjoy doing? Do you have any interests that influence your work in unexpected ways?

Florence: When I’m not making films, I’m working on my weekly podcast Come Curious with my co-host and partner in crime, Reed Amber. I also create erotic content for my OnlyFans and original content for my social media, which is how I market myself across platforms. I spend a lot of time watching films and TV series, which heavily influence my ideas. Nature brings me peace, so I’m often hiking or hanging out with my dog, Nola (you can follow her on Instagram at nolabark).

LustZine: And finally, if you could describe Dark Desert Highway in one word, what would it be and why?

Florence: That might be the hardest question ever! I’d choose the word intoxicating because this film is filled with presence, connection, and deep sensuality. In consensual non-consensual play and kink, submission carries an intoxicating feeling that is hard to describe but deeply powerful.