Event

Courtney Stephens: Invention

Following our 2023 presentation of Courtney Stephens Terra Femme, Cinematheque is thrilled to present Invention (2024), a collaboration between 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 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 theory, 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.