Vera Drew’s Trans Coming-of-Age Film Challenges Norms in a World of Anti-Comedy
Altered Innocence, the Los Angeles-based distributor, has dropped the highly anticipated theatrical trailer for Vera Drew’s groundbreaking feature debut, “The People’s Joker,” along with the announcement of its first round of North American theatrical dates. We reviewed the film at its United States premiere at Outfest. Drew has said on social media that the film’s theatrical version is a “whole new movie…if you saw it during our festival run, I really must insist you come to see it again when we come to a theater near you. it’ll be a new experience.”
Watch the Trailer Here:
Directed, edited, co-written, and starring Vera Drew, “The People’s Joker” is a genre-defying queer coming-of-age fair-use superhero world parody that challenges conventional narratives. The film is set to open at IFC Center in NYC on April 5th, with Drew present for the opening weekend. It will subsequently expand to over twenty cities in the weeks to follow.
The theatrical expansion includes support from Alamo Drafthouses across the nation, with openings in prominent cities like Los Angeles, Austin, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, Chicago, and more. Full details on theatrical listings for the US and Canada are available at www.alteredinnocence.net/thepeoplesjoker.
In this absurdist, autobiographically-inspired dark comedy, Drew reimagines the Joker’s origin as a painfully unfunny aspiring clown (Vera Drew as Joker the Harlequin). The protagonist grapples with gender identity while trying to join Gotham City’s comedy program in a world where comedy is outlawed. Teaming up with a group of rejects, Joker the Harlequin forms an illegal anti-comedy troupe, putting her on a collision course with the devious caped crusader controlling the city.
The star-studded cast features Tim Heidecker, Bob Odenkirk, Maria Bamford, Scott Aukerman, Lynn Downey, Nathan Faustyn, and Kane Distler. Co-written by Drew and Bri LeRose, the film explores themes close to Drew’s heart, drawing from her life as a trans woman and artist.
After its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, “The People’s Joker” garnered attention at festivals like Outfest LA Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, Denver International Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, Seattle Queer Film Festival, and many others. At the Seattle Queer Film Festival and Oslo/Fusion International Film Festival, the film earned top honors in the narrative feature competitions.
Shot entirely on a green screen, the film involved over 200 independent, predominantly queer creators, resulting in a visually rich experience across 2D, 3D, stop-motion, and various animation forms.
Vera Drew, known for collaborations with Tim Heidecker’s Abso Lutely Productions, boasts a prolific career in alt-comedy. Prior to “The People’s Joker,” Drew earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Showtime’s “Who Is America?” and contributed to projects like “I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson” and “Tim and Eric’s Beef House.”
Produced by Joey Lyons and executive produced by Richie Doyle, Conor Hannon, and Riccardo Maddalosso, “The People’s Joker” features cinematography by Nate Cornett and a diverse range of aesthetics brought to life by multiple production designers. The original score is crafted by Justin Krol & Quinn Scharber, Ember Knight, Danni Rowan, and electronic composer Elias and the Error.
Noteworthy contributors to the film include David Liebe Hart, Griffin Kramer, Christian Calloway, Ember Knight, Dan Curry, Cricket Arrison, Eliot Glazer, Sandy Honig, Alec Robbins, Mia Moore Marchant, Phil Braun, Trevor Drinkwater, Daniella Baker, Bambi Bell, Denali Winter, Ruin Carroll, and Arden Hughes.
It’s essential to note that “The People’s Joker” is an independent creation and is not affiliated with DC Comics or any related companies.
