THE PEOPLE’S JOKER

Watch Trailer Director: Vera Drew
Cast: Vera Drew, Kane Distler, Nathan Faustyn, Phil Braun

The DC Comics universe, improv comedy, and gender identity all collide in this wild coming-of-age supervillain parody from Emmy-nominated filmmaker Vera Drew!

Vera is a gender-questioning youth growing up in Smallville, Kansas in a dystopic world overseen by Batman. They’re a huge fan of improv comedy and hope to someday join the cast UCB Live, a comedy troupe whose show is a big hit. When they finally grow up and move to the big city of Gotham, Vera gets a shot at becoming part of the team. However, a computer designates them as a male Joker and puts limits on the type of comedy they are permitted to enact. This prompts Vera to join up with other outlaw comedians to try and start their own troupe. An encounter with “Mr. J”, a transgender comedian, leads Vera to finally recognize that she has the power to buck the system and identify as a transgender woman.

With its humble beginnings as a crowd-funded enterprise, The People’s Joker has become a smash hit among critics and audiences who have praised its creative approach to dealing with transgender issues. Vera Drew serves as co-writer, director, editor, and star of this weirdly entertaining and educational film with a supporting cast of improv comedy greats that includes Tim Heidecker, Maria Bumford, and Bob Odenkirk.