Draft:Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste (film)

Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste is a 2022 Netflix documentary directed by Sarah Gibson, about OneTaste, the company teaching "Orgasmic Meditation.” The sexual wellness company gains fame and followers, with as many as 35,000 customers and workshop centers in both the United States and Europe, until former individuals involved come forward with disturbing allegations in an article published in Bloomberg Businessweek in 2018. The documentary has been the cause of much controversy, with a lawsuit from individuals who say it used stolen footage of them, as well as a suit from OneTaste, which says it uses false evidence.

Plot
The documentary starts by showing the success and rise of OneTaste, a company teaching the practice of Orgasmic Meditation, and its founder, Nicole Daedone. The film paints a picture of a fast-growing wellness startup, exploration of sexuality, and people suffering from loneliness and disconnection feeling loved, connected, and belonging. The film takes a quick turn, showing the alleged dark side of the company, where former participants say they were manipulated and told to have sex to make the company money. It goes on to show the ongoing FBI investigation based on a 2018 Bloomberg Businessweek piece and goes in depth about the story of Ayries Blanck, told through the eyes of her sister, reading her journals about the events. This film contains nudity, bondage scenes, and swearing.

Production
OneTaste claims that much of the footage in the documentary was stolen by a former employee. 14 people who were concerned about appearing in the film sued Netflix in an attempt to block release of the film, and close to 500 others signed a petition pleading Netflix not use the stolen footage which the individuals never signed over consent to Netflix to use. The judge denied the motion and Netflix did not comment on the petition.

Release and reception
Online reviews on sites like Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB vary, with individuals coming out to confirm the story portrayed in the film, and others criticizing it.

Controversies
The documentary has been the cause of much controversy, with a lawsuit from individuals who say it used stolen footage of them, as well as a suit from OneTaste, which says Netflix paid $25,000 to Ayries sister, Autymn Blanck, for false journals which appeared in the film. Others have come out in support of the documentary, saying it mirrors their experience at OneTaste. A petition was started and signed by over 500 individuals who were in the stolen footage, in a plea to Netflix to not air the film and to respect that they do not consent to Netflix using footage of themselves. A group of petitioners created a short video, "Hey Netflix", through which a handful of the petitioners came forward with a public demand for Netflix to not use the stolen footage and exploit their image. Netflix proceeded to air the film without comment.

The film features alleged journals, written by Ayries Blanck and read by her sister, Autymn Blanck, which detail allegations of rape and abuse by Ayries' former partner and condoned by staff at OneTaste. The legitimacy of these journals are currently subject to litigation, with legal counsel from OneTaste submitting evidence suggesting that the journals reference a book on cult deprogramming not published until five years after the journals are alleged to have been written, drawing serious questions about the integrity of the journals.

There is also an unclear link between the FBI and the film, as a woman in the film is shown making a call and writing on her notebook the name of the FBI Special Agent Elliot McGinnis, the lead case agent in a single-charge conspiracy case against Nicole Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz, both former executives at OneTaste.

Some critics of the film have cited that the producers showcased staged scenes using paid actors without referencing the scenes as being staged. Common practice for documentaries, especially those which feature archival footage, is to provide notice to the audience at the beginning or end of the film or immediately prior to the staged scene to indicate that some footage is recreated using paid actors and not authentic. Orgasm Inc. failed to do this.