- Produced By Sidetrack Films Beautiful Losers Is One of The Most Influential Cultural Movements Of Our Generation Today -
New York, NY (February 2008) – For over a decade, outsider sub-cultures have influenced the mainstream. Now, a feature documentary finally explores that creative ethos driving youth culture and popular art today. First a traveling museum exhibition and book, Beautiful Losers, is now an unique documentary celebrating the independent and D.I.Y. spirit that unified a loose-knit group of American artists who emerged from the underground worlds of skateboarding, graffiti, punk and hip hop.
Directed by Aaron Rose and co-directed by Joshua Leonard, Beautiful Losers speaks to the collective memory of the 1990's and sheds new light on those unbeknownst to mainstream America. The world premiere of Beautiful Losers will screen on March 9, 2008 at the Paramount Theatre at 1:15pm at SXSW.
Produced by Sidetrack Films, Beautiful Losers is an intimate and moving assessment of underappreciated yet wildly influential outcasts such as Shepard Fairey, Margaret Kilgallen, Mike Mills, Barry McGee, Jo Jackson, Chris Johanson, Harmony Korine, Stephen Powers, Geoff McFetridge, Thomas Campbell and Ed Templeton. Informed by their individual experiences and the generation's "Do It Yourself" culture, these artists left an indelible mark on the worlds of fashion, music, literature, film and ironically, sports. The story of Beautiful Losers is a retrospective celebration of their contribution to artistic independence.
"The real magic lies not only in the fact that we were acknowledged, but that really, none of us were ever supposed to get there, said Aaron Rose. "This is art created by a group of individuals who, in the eyes of society, were considered outcasts. When we started making our work it was never even an option to think of having a career."
Not since Andy Warhol's "Exploding Plastic Inevitable" which is credited to helping define the psychedelic sixties has a collection of converging ideas across several mediums crystallized and later engrained itself into everyday American life. Beautiful Losers tosses the assumed divisions within youth culture into history, and with the benefit of hindsight we can get an inside look on the forces that helped shape the looming influence of the 1990's. The vignettes in the film are informal, candid, personal and revealing, giving us an insiders' look into the past, a first hand look into the present and an inspired view of the future.
Beautiful Losers will premiere at the SXSW Film Festival at The Paramount Theater on March 9th at 1:15pm and the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on March 14th at 4:00pm. You can find further information at www.beautifullosers.com.
About Sidetrack Films: Founded in 2005, Sidetrack Films is an innovative production and financing company dedicated to supporting emerging talent and unique perspectives. Sidetrack's productions include: the Emmy nominated FAVELA RISING (HBO/ThinkFilm); Independent Spirit Award Nominated KURT COBAIN ABOUT A SON (released theatrically in conjunction with Diesel Timeframes), and Sundance world premiere LOW AND BEHOLD. Sidetrack Films is currently producing the documentary KING OF THE B's about the life and influence of America's most prolific producer- Roger Corman.
For more information regarding Beautiful Losers, to speak with the director or a representative from Sidetrack Films, or to request a screener, please contact Shane Gill (sgill@pitchcontrolpr.com) or Sarah Cirkiel (scirkiel@pitchcontrolpr.com <mailto:scirkiel@pitchcontrolpr.com> ) at Pitch Control Public Relations, 212.475.4919.
