Controversial Cindy Sherman documentary to screen at Ojai Film Festival
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A controversial new documentary about Cindy Sherman is slated to screen at this year’s Ojai Film Festival.
‘Guest of Cindy Sherman’ will play Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 3 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 6, at 12:30 p.m. at the Ojai Arts Center. The movie was made in association with the Sundance Channel.
Why the controversy? Sherman spent months doing scenes and interviews for the movie but later disavowed the finished product when it premiered earlier this year at the Tribeca Film Festival. She even issued a statement to the press expressing her dismay with the film. (Scroll down to read the full statement.)
‘Guest of Cindy Sherman’ was co-directed by her now ex-boyfriend Paul H-O, who managed to coax the photographer into filming scenes about their life together as well as interviews about her art. The documentary also includes chats with Eli Broad, Eric Bogosian and John Waters.
Cindy Sherman’s statement (issued during the Tribeca Film Festival in May 2008):
As my name is in the title and my work and self are so abundantly represented, I would like to counter any assumption that I am or wish to be personally associated with it. I am not a participant in any events related to the film’s screenings in this festival or future presentations.
I apologize to all those who participated, thinking they were doing me a favor in giving interviews and otherwise assisting in the fabrication of this film.
Against my better judgment, it was clearly unwise to cooperate with the project at its inception.
Cindy Sherman
Incidentally: Culture Monster recommends that Sherman fans check out the 2005 short film ‘Cindy the Doll is Mine,’ written and directed by Bertrand Bonello and starring Italian domin-actress Asia Argento. The movie, which depicts a fictionalized Sherman photo shoot, is viewable in its entirety here.
— David Ng
