Trans-Joker Parody Film ‘The People’s Joker’ to Finally Premiere in Outfest Los Angeles Film Fest

Indie Movie QUEER

2023-07-06
15:55

An unofficial trans-Joker film will finally be getting its much-awaited premiere after being removed from a film festival in 2022!

Titled ‘The People’s Joker’, this crowdfunded indie film will get its screening at the Outfest film festival in Los Angeles on July 15.

‘The People’s Joker’ describes itself as an “illegal comic book movie” which tells the story of an unnamed protagonist who struggles with gender-identity issues while numbing herself with an inhalant called “smylex.” She then tries to break into Gotham City’s underground comedy scene and joins with other DC Universe characters to fight a “fascist caped crusader.”

The film is “steeped in the iconography of DC Comics characters” namely Batman, Penguin, and Joker, although it actually “takes more shots at “Saturday Night Live” and Lorne Michaels than it does at the Batverse,” IndieWire describes.

‘The People’s Joker’ was supposed to premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), however, it was consequently removed due to “rights issues” perhaps from its content pulled from DC and Warner Bros properties.

In response to the pull out, director and creator Vera Drew began sharing the hashtag #FreeThePeoplesJoker in retaliation to what she said is “bullying.” In an Instagram post, she said that “a media conglomerate that shall remain nameless sent [Drew] an angry letter pressuring not to screen.” However, after a fully transparent negotiation with TIFF, the film screened but only once “to mitigate potential blowback.”

The good news came, however, on July 3, after Drew took to Twitter her excitement as she announced that ‘The People’s Joker’ will finally get its official US premiere on July 15 at the Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater.

A Q&A with her and the cast and crew will happen after the screening.

Sources: (1) (2) (3)

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