Invention

Callie Hernandez & Courtney Stephens: Invention

Courtney Stephens in person!

With Invention, Stephens and Hernandez have fashioned a uniquely reflexive portrait of the grieving process, utilizing personal experience to articulate something universal about death and the ways we mourn the complicated figures in our lives.” — Jordan Kronk

Invention, a collaboration between director Courtney Stephens and actress/filmmaker Callie Hernandez. With Hernandez in the starring role, Invention is an auto-fictional interpretation of the aftermath of the death of Hernandez’ father, a real life MD, an early ‘90s holistic healer and believer in parallel universes, reptilians and the healing power of energetic frequencies. Weaving archival footage of Dr. Hernandez alternative health infomercials through a storyline orbiting the discovery of an experimental healing device, the daughter’s sole inheritance, the film delves deep into investigations of the process of grieving and the construction of fantasy as a response to loss while exploring the endlessly fascinating and problematic American themes of conspiracy, hucksterism and fringe medicine/wellness culture delivering, ultimately, a portrait of the nation in its late period, in which widespread disappointment infuses the culture with hopeful fictions and toxic nostalgia.

Program presented by San Francisco Cinematheque. Full details here.