Friday, November 10 at 7:15 PM
About the film
If you think you know the story of Batman’s arch-nemesis, think again. Gotham’s Clown Prince of Crime takes the superhero movie hostage to clear up some misconceptions. First, Batman is not the hero we need but a corporate branding megalomaniac, and second, the Joker is a trans woman trying to liberate comedy from tech giant overlords. If this sounds like it’s not officially sanctioned, you’d be a perfect candidate for the Penguin and Joker’s anti-comedy troupe. The People's Joker is a rebellious, copyright-pushing ode to the Harlequin of Hate. Satire, of course, if any Queebso content police are poking around.
Told from her own perspective, The People's Joker reclaims one of comic book and blockbuster movies’ most prolific antagonists as a camp, queer coming-of-age hero. Director/Co-Writer/Star Vera Drew crafts a hilarious, honest examination of trans identity through the lens of the most commercial and ubiquitous movie genre of the day. Pulling inspiration from the character’s 56+ year cinematic history, this Joker uses two dimensional animation, CGI, live action, and stop motion animation to honor and interrogate the Joker’s legacy.
Queer coming-of-age movies have been around as long as cinema, but what makes The People's Joker so refreshing is its embrace of the queer villain trope and the honesty with which Vera Drew tackles questions around trans identity and the modern media landscape. In an age where queer characters are frequently reduced to palatable, non-threatening leads (or worse), The People's Joker is a harbinger of institutional rebellion and property destruction. So bring your face paint, pigtails, and estrogen vats and get ready to join the Caped Crusader’s Rogues gallery yourself.