‘Barbara Forever’ Director Brydie O’Connor on Celebrating a Lesbian Icon Who Did It All – and Getting Support From Christine Vachon
Director Brydie O’Connor’s documentary *Barbara Forever* introduces audiences to lesbian filmmaker and artist Barbara Hammer, whose work and influence went largely unrecognised during her life. O’Connor says Hammer’s persistence in making films despite feeling invisible resonates with queer filmmakers today, who still face barriers to funding and recognition.
Hammer made more than 85 films and archived her life in 125 boxes, later sold to Yale. O’Connor says Hammer filmed herself and everyday life to help others understand how a lesbian woman navigated the world, and wanted her work to reach an audience. The film has screened at Sundance and Berlinale and is heading to Ji.hlava; Kristen Stewart and producer Christine Vachon supported the project, though O’Connor says its success has yet to bring funding for future work.
In short
- *Barbara Forever* brings Barbara Hammer’s work to new audiences.
- Hammer made more than 85 films and kept 125 boxes of archives.
- Director Brydie O’Connor says queer filmmakers still struggle for funding.
Explained simply
Barbara Hammer was an American filmmaker and artist whose work explored lesbian life and experience. She made more than 85 films and kept an extensive personal archive, much of which was later acquired by Yale University.
Director Brydie O’Connor’s documentary looks at Hammer’s work and the effort she made to record everyday life from her perspective. It also places her career in the context of the recognition and resources available to queer filmmakers.
Producer Christine Vachon and actor Kristen Stewart supported the documentary, which has screened at major film festivals. Its journey raises broader questions about how independent films reach audiences and whether attention to one project leads to support for the next.
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