Director Sook-Yin Lee brings comic book flick to St. John's screen
St. John's International Women's Film Festival wraps up its 35th year
The St. John's International Women's Film Festival concluded its 35th year Saturday night, closing with a film that started off as a comic book.
Paying For It, based on the 2011 autobiographical comic book by cartoonist Chester Brown, depicts his life in early 1990s Toronto and his encounters with sex workers.
It was directed by filmmaker, musician and former Much Music VJ Sook-Yin Lee, who had nothing but praise for the festival.
"I've been bringing Paying For It to a lot of film festivals and this one has got to be the most down-home, warm and generous," Lee told CBC Radio's Weekend AM.
"It's been so nice to not only be able to share the movie, but to see some really awesome places and meet people."
Lee was also able to watch some short film screenings at the LSPU Hall and saw films by Canadian filmmakers like Andrea Dorfman with her animated piece Hairy Legs.
"It was great to be in that space. I mean, it's a very special place here in Newfoundland. I like it so much. It's very beautiful," said Lee.
A personal project
Lee and Brown were in a relationship in 90s when she suggested they have an open relationship, where they would still be together but also see other people.
Brown started seeing sex workers and documented his experience in a comic format, which was published in 2011.
Lee said that experience allowed Brown to see how sex workers were vulnerable to exploitation.
"Basically, the book was a treatise on the decriminalization of consensual sex work. And what we're talking about is consensual sex work, people. Adults agreeing to have this exchange," said Lee.
Lee said she approached Brown about turning his comic book into a film, which she said he accepted because he trusted her.
She said she also realized that she needed to include herself in the film because she was a part of this time period for Brown. In the film her character is called Sonny, played by actor Emily Lê.
Lee said she and Brown are now good friends.
Back in time
Lee said she had to find ways to bring the file to life, given that it's a trip back in time to the 90s.
"It's a period piece, and when you make a movie that can be very expensive," she said. "But this movie was made on a shoestring and luckily I still have the house where Chester and I were living in, and we shot where the real life events took place."
Lee said she called up her friends to track down spaces like homes, shops and galleries that still have that 90's feeling.
"It pretty much is a movie that was built by people in my neighborhood."
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With files from Weekend AM
