GUEST PROGRAMMER – VERA DREW

Vera Drew is a transgender director and writer who got her start in TV. Recently she co-wrote, directed, edited, and starred in The People’s Joker, a queer coming of age comic book parody. Last winter, she edited Alice Maio MacKay’s new holiday horror feature Carnage for Christmas. Prior to that, she directed season 12 of Tim Heidecker’s “On Cinema at the Cinema” as well as co-wrote, edited, and executive produced Tim and Eric’s “Beef House.” Additionally, she was lead editor on Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Who Is America,” for which she was nominated for an Emmy. Born and raised in Chicago, IL, she has been making funny, spooky, and/or queer short films and music videos for most of her life.

Programmer’s Statement: Australia’s Alice Maio MacKay is my favorite living director, and while I may be biased because I edited it, I believe Carnage for Christmas is her best feature film to date. A 20 year old trans woman, this is her fifth feature film, which would activate some ageism in me were she not also a total sweetheart and delightful collaborator. A queer Christmas caper chock full of gore and soap opera campiness, Carnage isn’t quite a traditional horror film and moreso a deconstruction of the slasher genre with a DIY aesthetic and a holiday glaze. Think Silent Night, Deadly Night meets early Rob Zombie meets Twin Peaks but very very transgender. A TERF gets murdered to a hyperpop song. Need I say more. This is one you’re gonna wanna watch every Xmas with your gay little friends, so come watch it with me <3 v