Document HRFF: Portrait of Jason

Portrait of Jason (1966, USA)
Dir. Shirley Clarke

On the night of December 2, 1966, Shirley 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. Hailed as one of the most important art films of the twentieth century - A Portrait of Jason - is a proto verite documentary with shades of the Maysle Brothers and John Cassavettes.

This is a co-presentation with the Scottish Queer Film Festival. It will be introduced by Sam Kenyon - Document and SQIFF programmer.