Sunday April 29

1:30 pm

Regal 18

US,2006,video,55min.
SOUTH FLORIDA PREMIERE

Directed by:
Will Parrinello

In Emile Norman-by his own design we are introduced to the genius of a brilliant artist, a hidden treasure in the pantheon of openly gay artists. From his humble beginnings on a ranch in the San Gabriel Valley, Emile quickly progressed into designing window displays for department stores and creating headdresses for movie musicals. Along the way, he met Brooks Clement, his repairman, and fell passionately in love. They shared their lives for 30 years thereafter, living together as an openly gay couple in the 1940’s and 50’s in the picturesque town of Big Sur.

His intricate wood-inlay art technique and murals led Emile to New York City, where success was short lived with the arrival of abstract expressionism and the likes of Jackson Pollock. Though relatively unknown today outside of his native California, the artist’s famous neighbors Jill Eickenberry and Michael Tucker (of television's LA Law fame) decided that Norman's work and extraordinary life merited being documented. Director Will Parrinello does a superb job of showcasing the exceptional artistry of Norman and the tender love he shared with the man who told him to "do the artwork and I’ll show the world what you’re doing."    

Career Synopsis

Will Parrinello has made award-winning documentaries for 20 years. His credits include Dreaming of Tibet (2003), Global Focus – The New Environmentalists, Little Italy (1996), and Kerouac (1985). He shot and edited the P.O.V./ITVS production, In the Light of Reverence and was Director of Photography on the Academy Award nominated documentary Tell the Truth and Run: George Seldes and the American Press (1996).