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Shirley Clarke, Portrait of Jason, 1967 (still); image: Milestone Films

Film

Portrait of Jason

Saturday, Feb 25, 2017

3 p.m.

“…Portrait of Jason is a fascinating, moving depiction of Jason Holliday, an African American gay prostitute and aspiring nightclub performer. Filmed over twelve hours, from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., in Clarke’s apartment, Holliday’s nonstop talking was interrupted only by the reloading of the camera. Clarke described it as ‘the first time I was able to give up my intense control and allow Jason and the camera to react to each other.’ As the sole person on screen, Jason ‘performs’ for the camera, improvising and impersonating, relating stories, confessing his sexual encounters, and ultimately revealing himself. It is a self that may or may not relate to the stories he has told, but which comes to ‘life’ before the camera.” — Kathy Geritz, BAMPFA

“The film is a conversation between two disadvantaged artists with indelible personalities, both of whom are unabashedly manipulating their way into at least the esoteric side of the everlasting.” — Joseph Jon Lanthier, Slant



Film Details

Country: USA
Language: English
Year: 1967
Running time: 105 min
Format: 35mm
Director: Shirley Clarke
Producer: Shirley Clarke
Cinematographer: Jeri Sopanen
Editor: Shirley Clarke
Print Source: Milestone Film & Video


Films and schedules may be subject to change.

Modern Cinema’s Founding Supporters are Carla Emil and Rich Silverstein. Generous support is provided by Nion T. McEvoy and the Susan Wildberg Morgenstein Fund. Additional support is provided by Becky Draper.