Tarnation

USA, 2003. 85 mins. Wellspring Med.

Raised by a schizophrenic mother and abusive foster parents in and around Houston, Texas, Jonathan Caouette escaped from his bleak surroundings by hiding behind a video camera. Since he was eleven, Jonathan obsessively documented himself and those around him, resulting in a stockpile of videotapes that appeared to have no certain purpose. Around this time, he made another dramatic discovery: he was gay. When he moved to New York City in his early twenties, Jonathan began the arduous process of assembling the endless footage of his past.

Director: Jonathan Caouette