Reeling 2010: JoJo Baby

Once the sun goes down in Chicago, it’s time for the most vibrant stars of the dance clubs across the city to shine. And none shine more brightly than club fixture JoJo Baby, a sight to behold in 3-foot platforms! Funded and supported by acclaimed filmmaker Clive Barker (Hellraiser), JoJo Baby strips off the colorful makeup and elaborate costumes and exposes the heart and soul of the eclectic artist. Trained by East Village art world darling Greer Lankton, JoJo uses blood (sometimes literally), sweat and tears to construct something out of nothing. Making puppets since he was a child, his dolls all have a full skeleton, glass eyes, an entire chakra system and, very often, human teeth and hair. His dolls are his children, each with its own story, which are sometimes incarnations of the characters in his life. At his studio in the thriving artistic bastion of Wicker Park’s Flatiron Building, JoJo Baby opens up to the camera, transporting us through his avant-garde existence and into a world of Polaroid art, penis castings, oil paintings and countless, whimsical dolls. A powerful and deeply moving journey, JoJo Baby is a celebration of life through the power of art. —Benjamin Kelner & Angelique Smith for Reeling JoJo Baby, Mark Danforth & Dana Buning (USA, 2010, 85 min.) Reeling: The Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival, the second oldest film festival of its kind in the US, is presenting 54 programs over 10 days from November 4-13, 2010. Advance sales are available until the day before the show. After that, tickets must be purchased at the theater box office on the day of the screening. Regular Screenings: $10 ($8 members), Matinee Screenings (before 5:00 pm): $8 ($6 members).

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