Portrait of Jason
A film by Shirley Clarke
| Ingmar Bergman called it “the most extraordinary film I’ve seen in my life.” On the night of December 2, 1966, Clarke and a tiny crew convened in her apartment at the Hotel Chelsea to make a film. There, for twelve straight hours, they filmed the one-and-only Jason Holliday as he spun tales, sang, donned costumes, and reminisced about good times and bad behaviour as a gay hustler, sometime houseboy, and aspiring cabaret performer. The result is a mesmerizing portrait of a remarkable, charming, and tortured man, who is by turns hilarious and heartbreaking. |
| A Bit of Scarlet A film by Andrea Weiss Narrated by Sir Ian McKellen Billed as ‘a kind of post-modern queer soap opera for Britain’, Andrea Weiss’ documentary tells a sharp story. She evaluates the way gay and lesbian people have been depicted in mainstream British film and television. Narrated by Sir Ian McKellen. |
Keep the Lights On
Directed by Ira Sachs
| Chronicles an emotionally and sexually charged journey of two men in New York City through love, friendship, and addiction. Documentary filmmaker Erik (Thure Lindhardt) and closeted lawyer Paul (Zachary Booth, Damages) meet through a casual encounter, but soon find a deeper connection and become a couple. In an almost decade-long relationship defined by highs, lows, and dysfunctional patterns, Erik struggles to negotiate his own boundaries and dignity while being true to himself. |
Starlet
Directed by Sean Baker
| Starlet explores the unlikely friendship between 21-year-old aspiring actress Jane (Dree Hemingway) and elderly widow Sadie (Besedka Johnson) after their worlds collide in California’s San Fernando Valley. Jane spends her time getting high with her dysfunctional roommates and taking care of her chihuahua Starlet, while Sadie passes her days alone, tending to her garden. After a confrontation at a yard sale, Jane finds something unexpected in a relic from Sadie’s past. Written and directed by Sean Baker (The Florida Project, Red Rocket). |
| New Picks from Pacific Arts Movement! Ovid presents a new playlist curated by Brian Hu, the artistic director of Pacific Arts Movement. His latest selections include the deeply personal All About My Sisters, Indonesian western/thriller hybrid Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts, and Oscar-winning filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s epic tale of friendship Happy Hour. |
