Portrait of Jason

“What do you mean, Aaron Payne?” With this question, one of American independent cinema’s outstanding films begins, at once a screen test, portrait and interview, but also a tour-de-force performance on the part of queer African-American hustler Jason Holliday alias Aaron Payne. His excessive monologue that unfolds between the increasingly pushy questions from director Shirley Clarke and cinematographer Carl Lee asked from off screen is rich in anecdotes, entertaining and emotional, revealing as much about Holliday’s life as it does about an American society that marginalizes him in more ways than one. It’s not just his direct glances into the camera, but also the hundreds of times he fills in space with “You know!” which leave no doubt with whom Holliday is really entering into dialogue: the cinema audience. (mg)