Kevin Smith has become such a prominent part of pop culture fandom that I think we forget what a trailblazing he was for independent cinema. When he dropped Clerks on us at the Sundance Film Festival nearly three decades ago, a film he financed by maxing out his credit cards, few could’ve imagined it would lead to him creating his own cinematic View Askew-niverse, and opening the door to many aspiring directors hoping to achieve their dream.
Headed to SXSW is Malcolm Ingram’s documentary Clerk, which focuses on Kevin Smith not just as a groundbreaking independent filmmaker, but also the guy who used social media to create an entire brand. Podcasting, comic books, stand-up comedy, television…Kevin Smith has done it all and built a loyal, dedicated fanbase who are integral to the growth of geek culture.
The film features interviews with the usual suspects, Smith confidantes Jason Mewes, Brian O’Halloran, and others such as Penn Gillette and Jason Reitman.
The SXSW Film Festival runs from March 16th-20th.
