Hot Docs 2008

"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," says filmmaker Aaron Rose. Beautiful Losers celebrates the independent do-it-yourself spirit that unified a like-minded group of American artists who emerged from the underground youth subcultures of skateboarding, graffiti, punk rock and hip-hop in the early 1990s. It tells the story of how a group of graffiti artists, with little or no formal training and almost no connection to the inner workings of the art world, ended up having an huge impact on the worlds of art, fashion, music, film and pop culture. These artists and the subcultures from which they sprang have become not only popular, but have sparked the most influential cultural movement of our generation. Through a series of informal vignettes featuring 10 artists, Beautiful Losers explores the creative impetus behind this growing movement. Rose and Joshua Leonard's captivating film offers an intimate glimpse into a fascinating and significant time in the history of art making.
-Sarah Whitehouse

Co-presented with the Toronto Free Gallery.