About

"The Olivia Experiment" is a feature-length comedy-drama written by Alexandra Komisaruk and directed by Sonja Schenk.

 

27-year-old Olivia Howell is a gender studies graduate student who's outraged at the porn-centric culture, but not above trying - and botching - a DIY bikini wax.  Unsure of her sexual orientation, and concerned she may not have one at all, she attends an asexuality support group.   But after Olivia melts down at the meeting, the group leader advises she explore other options.

 

To help Olivia get a grip on her disturbing-to-others sexual identity crisis, her pal Felisha makes a friendly offer:  why not try sex with her willing boyfriend, Julian? Noting that this would be cheaper than psychotherapy, Olivia agrees to give it a shot.

 

Olivia decides to film her weekend's "experiment" with Julian, saying she hopes to advance the discourse on asexuality - but ignoring her roomie James' warning this sounds like a terrible idea.  With the help of CJ, a lesbian camerawoman, Olivia begins her weekend's adventure with her "loaner" boyfriend.

 

But she can't predict the surprises that will follow, including a visit from her rowdy mother; the bizarre appearances of a semi-stalking mathematician; and the confessions of her many filmed "subjects" who confide their truths in Olivia's fun and revealing experiment.