Part of Queer Qlassics
Wed, Jul 16 at 8:00pm: Post-screening discussion with director Vera Drew | BUY TICKETS
This revolutionary DIY parody film and hilarious reimagining of the classic autobiographical coming-of-age story follows an unconfident, closeted trans girl as she moves to Gotham City to make it big as a comedian by joining the cast of UCB Live — a government-sanctioned late night sketch show in a world where comedy has been outlawed. As mainstream success eludes our heroine, leading her to unite with a ragtag team of rejects, misfits and a certain love interest named Mister J, “Joker the Harlequin” is born again as a confident (and psychotic) joker on a collision course with the city’s fascist caped crusader. Vats of feminizing chemicals, sexy cartoon interludes, scarecrow psychiatrists, CGI Lorne Michaels, and psychedelic gender dysphoria all play supporting roles. Helmed by writer/director/editor/star Vera Drew — and using her own life experiences as a basis for the film — THE PEOPLE’S JOKER is a deeply personal journey that’s as much documentary as it is parody.
THE PEOPLE’S JOKER features a superhero-sized cast of celebrated comedic talent in both voice and live action roles behind the vibrant kaleidoscope of characters that lampoon the iconic heroes and villains of the DC Comics world — featuring cameos from comedy multi-hyphenate Tim Heidecker, award-winning actor Bob Odenkirk, Maria Bamford (Netflix’s Big Mouth, Adult Swim’s Teenage Euthanasia), and Scott Aukerman (Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis, and co-creator and host of the Comedy Bang! Bang! podcast), with Vera Drew, Lynn Downey (Amazon Prime Video’s Daisy Jones & The Six), Nathan Faustyn (SADDLED), and Kane Distler in his film debut as Mister J.
“An incredibly enjoyable romp that would make trash-chic cinema pioneers such as John Waters proud.” —Amelia Hansford, PinkNews “Much like a superhero, Drew has accomplished something impossible, using widely recognized IP she doesn’t own to deliver a compelling and surprisingly touching tale about comedy, gender, and self-realization. THE PEOPLE’S JOKER is the Batman parody trans people need and deserve.” —Rendy Jones, Them “A work of art that’s as garish as it is beautiful, as insane as it is sensible, as Joker as it is Harley Quinn, and as willing to throw its audience into a vat of estrogen as it is ready to embrace them for the people they truly are.” —Juan Barquin, IGN
