Illustration

Date: Opening of the Row of Films, Tuesday May 2nd 2006, 6 pm
Place: Cinema
Language: original English version

Henry Darger lived in seclusion in an apartment in the north of Chicago for more than forty years, worked as a caretaker of a catholic poorhouse and went to mass every day. His landlords, the Bauhaus-artist Nathan Lerner and his wife Kiyoko were the only people he had contact with. He died in peace at the age of 81, seemingly without leaving any traces behind. After his death the Lerners discovered which exuberant, borderless artist life their caretaker had led at night, in which incredible fantasy world he had lived: hundreds of brilliant watercolour paintings appeared in his apartment, some more than three meters long. Mysterious, disturbing, wonderful panoramas: young girls frolicking beneath a stormy sky. Young girls fighting against a dark army. Young girls who are saved by bizarre, dragonlike creatures. Often drawn naked, with penises. And the Lerners discovered one more thing: probably the longest novel ever written, the 15 000 page epic “ In the Realms of the Unreal”. In it Henry Darger tells of a fable of good-against-bad, the story of the courageous Vivian Girls and their religious war against the suppressor-army of Glandelinians.

Director Jessica Yu creates a phenomenal documentary monument for this odd person, who is celebrated by many admirers worldwide as an exceptional phenomenon. She highlights the double life of Henry Darger with a thirst for knowledge and a sense of humour, summons the power of creativity and the magic of an artist existence – however insane it may seem.

USA 2004, 81 min. Director: Jessica Yu, Screenplay: Jessica Yu and Henry Darger (original texts), Camera: Michael Barrow, Tim Bieber, Shana Hagan and others. Editing: Jessica Yu. Starring: Larry Pine (voice of Henry Darger), Dakota Fanning (narrator), Frier McCollister (voice), WallyWingert (voice) and others.



Illsutration