Barbara Hammer: A Lesbian Cinema Icon Remembered

Brydie O'Connor's "Barbara Forever" meticulously chronicles the life and work of avant-garde filmmaker Barbara Hammer. The documentary, drawing extensively from Hammer's half-century personal archive, focuses on her artistic birth during the creation of her first film, "Schizy." This approach positions Hammer as a foundational figure in sapphic experimental cinema.

The film exclusively features Hammer's own voice for narration, with only brief contemporary conversations with her widow, Florrie Burke. This intimate style, born from O'Connor's decade-long relationship with Hammer, immerses viewers in the filmmaker's world, eschewing traditional talking heads for a deeply personal exploration.

"Barbara Forever" examines the complex interplay between Hammer's internal creative drive and the external realities of lesbian community and care. It acknowledges the tension between her public role as a representative for a marginalized group and her personal integration of self.