In Chasing Chasing Amy director Sav Rodgers explains in a moving documentary of self-discovery what Kevin Smith’s iconic 1997 romcom Chasing Amy has meant to LGBTQ+ people over the years.
Another Life Is Possible
by Alexa DalbyChasing Chasing Amy
CAUTION: Here be spoilers
A cinephile’s pilgrimage takes more twists and turns than you can shake a stick at, as Sav Rodgers plunges deep into the legacy of Kevin Smith’s indie hit.
Chasing Amy is a film that meant so much to Sav growing up in Kansas. For the first time, it showed lives where people could be their authentic selves. Now as a director, Sav had the unique opportunity to step inside the real locations for the film (who wouldn’t love the chance?), interview the original participants, and also grow and find an authentic identity as an adult.
Chasing Chasing Amy explores the transformational impact of a ‘90s rom-com on a 12-year-old kid from Kansas, coming of age and contending with queer identity. For young Sav Rodgers, the Kevin Smith cult classic, Chasing Amy, became a life raft. As Rodgers examines the film and its making as a cornerstone of LGBTQ+ cinema, they finds himselves at a complicated crossroads.
The documentary features interviews with Kevin Smith, as well as members of the original Chasing Amy cast including Joey Lauren Adams, Guinevere Turner and Jason Lee.
Director, Sav Rodgers on releasing in the UK: “I’m beyond elated that Kindred Pictures and the Chasing Chasing Amy team are joining forces to bring our film to theatres in the UK. We’ve been so fortunate to screen at amazing independent film festivals all over the world, including Tribeca, BFI Flare, and the London Film Festival. Our documentary is a sincere, heartfelt look about the the ways movies shape our lives, and bringing this film to big screen is a dream come true.”
Chasing Chasing Amy premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and premiered in the UK at the BFI LFF on 14 October 2023. It is released on 17 May 2024 in the UK. Chasing Chasing Amy screens on 14 and 16 March 2024 in BFI Flare.
