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 inimitable Jason Holliday as he spun tales, sang, donned costumes and reminisced about his experiences 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. Part cinema verité and part fiction it remains one of the most remarkable films of American independent filmmaking.

Part of Agnes & Shirley, a She’s A Rebel mini-season looking the work of Agnes Varda and her self-described ‘double’ Shirley Clarke.

Shirley Clarke | 1967 | US | 105 mins