Container Love is no stranger to bans and baseless accusations. As a political rightwing wave washes over the Western world and queer narratives suddenly become offensive, our official Instagram page has been reported and restricted countless times for publishing allegedly inappropriate content: strictly non-explicit pictures by our artists.

Our latest film, the music video for The Irrepressibles’ song, “Ecstasy Homosexuality” was a special project for all of us. Working with an iconic band like The Irrepressibles to create a film that is halfway between a love letter and a political statement celebrating queer love, life, and liberation was an exceptional experience. And we were beyond excited for the final result, our music video to be published. It did not take long after the initial upload for YouTube to remove the film, labeling it as harmful, inappropriate content. In an overly sexualized online space where misogyny, racism, and hatred are slowly becoming a norm, we got silenced because we showed two shirtless men making out.

It doesn’t matter if it’s the complaints of some users, or YouTube’s self-censorship, or a mixture of the two, because either way, it leads to the same dark place. A vacuum where narratives that don’t fit the heteronormative mainstream are banished together with their creators labeled as harmful elements. A core value of Container Love is that whatever we are doing, we must do it for, never against someone or something. We have been and will keep standing for equality, freedom of choice, and freedom of love for all. And this is why we decided to publish the extended and uncensored version of “Ecstasy Homosexuality” online for everyone to see. Queer art telling queer stories and showing queer love should not be restricted to film festivals and exhibitions like some curiosity. Observing from within our own bubbles, it’s easy to say that progress is inevitable, but when facing the real world we all must realize how much is at stake. That all of our hard-earned rights can be taken away any day, that we can get called out, persecuted for daring to love, that even we can soon find ourselves back in the not-so-distant dark days. Standing up for ourselves and each other is the only way to make this world a kinder and less dangerous place for all and everyone.

Please enjoy our music video for “Ecstasy Homosexuality” and remember, don’t stop the love.

Artist The Irrepressibles, Director Ben Galster, Creative Direction Studio Christian Ruess, Executive Producer Paul Weston and Christian Ruess, Production Company Blink x Container Love, Cast Dario Campo, Elias Brenneisen, Karma di Sapio, Max Gaertner, Ricardo Rozas, Line Producer Albina Maks, Cinematographer Bernhard Russow, 1st Assistant Camera Philip Ratuschny, Gaffer Leonhard Keirat, Electricians Stan Baumann, Jonathan Lux, Editor Samuel Marr at Stitch Editing, Online & VFX Selected Works, Colourist Nielsan Bohl, Director’s Assistant Matt Hickmott, 1st Assistant Director Pia-Donata Pach, Video Commissioner Daniel Harding at Zinglyng, Art Department Jan Baszak, Robin Dreger, Tom Czibolya, Yasmin Momodu, Hair & Make-up Artist Ahmed Mnissi, Production Design Christina Ahlefeldt-Laurvig, Artworks by Alex Avgud, Alfonso Del Moral Sánchez, Anil Ayhan, Birk Thomassen, Depuis Ce Matin, Jaihang, Kostis Fokas, Refael Salem, Sebastian Perinotti, Slava Mogutin, Stéphane Gizard, Tyler Udall, Wojciech Wos, Yves de Brabander, Location Gutshaus Rensow, We Studios, Camera Rental Camelot Berlin, Lighting Rental Grand Pictures, Special Thanks Gina Melosi Jewellery, The Rice Society, Agent Claire Stubbs at Mouthpiece, Archive Research Hazel May Research, Emily Thomas, Archive Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division