The Cult of JT LeRoy
A young heroin addicted and HIV+ male prostitute transvestite who was abandoned by his mother decided to publish a memoir. The result was not so much a success as it was a religious-like cult following of regular readers, leading literati and celebrities such as Nancy Sinatra, Michael Stipe, Gus Van Sant, Shirley Manson, Lou Reed and many more. The demise of this stellar career exposed the sad underbelly of show business: the cynicism of some and naiveté of others. The story is true, but Marjorie Sturm does a great job of telling it. Each time it seems the narrative is getting predictable, new cracks appear in the seemingly smooth façade. The author behind the success of JT LeRoy, whose work has been called the greatest literary fraud of modern history by the biggest American publications, seems the most fascinating.
awards
San Francisco Independent Film Festival 2015 – Best Documentary Feature
Marjorie Sturm
She is a director of feature, documentary and experimental films, who also produces videos for NGOs and musicians. She studied psychology at the University of Michigan and directing at San Francisco State University. Sturm cared for the mentally ill homeless as a social worker in San Francisco. She took part in the collective documentary 99% Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film.
Filmography
2001 Treehouse (short)
2002 Honey and Eggs (the End of Fantasy) (short doc.)
2003 Smoke the Pipe Dream (short)
2003 Voice or No Voice (short)
2014 Prawda o JT LeRoyu / The Cult of JT LeRoy (doc.)
Cast & Crew
