“Fairyland” Premieres at Sundance, Offering a Raw Look at Family and the AIDS Epidemic
PARK CITY, UT - January 20, 2023 – Andrew Durham’s debut feature, fairyland, premiered Friday at the Sundance Film Festival, delivering a poignant and unflinching portrayal of a father-daughter relationship against the backdrop of San Francisco’s tumultuous 1970s and 80s. Based on Alysia Abbott’s 2013 memoir, the film doesn’t shy away from the heartbreak and societal indifference surrounding the burgeoning AIDS crisis.
The story follows writer and poet steve Abbott (Scoot McNairy) as he relocates with his young daughter, Alysia (initially played by Nessa Dougherty), from the Midwest to San Francisco following the death of his wife. They navigate a non-traditional household filled with unconventional housemates,while Steve begins to explore his own sexuality.
Emilia Jones portrays the older Alysia, a teenager and collage student grappling with her father’s evolving identity and her own desire for independence. The film vividly depicts a San Francisco grappling with anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, exemplified by figures like Anita Bryant, and marked by the tragic assassinations of Harvey Milk and the escalating AIDS epidemic. Durham masterfully recreates the bohemian atmosphere of the era, incorporating archival footage to underscore the historical context.
“He also captures the utter heartbreak of AIDS sufferers, which was dismissed by so many outside the gay community at the time,” a review of the film noted.
Durham, who grew up in San Francisco with a gay father, shared during a post-screening Q&A that his personal connection to the story drove him to make the film. Despite a “super-tight budget,” the entire production was completed in just 23 days, including a single day of filming in Golden Gate Park. the film’s timeline required notable transformations in hair, makeup, and even casting to reflect the passage of time.
Young actress Nessa Dougherty,appearing alongside Jones on stage,expressed her joy with the role,stating,”It was exciting and it was fun.” She also excitedly announced she had secured another film role as a direct result of her performance in Fairyland, prompting applause from the audience.
fairyland offers a deeply personal and historically resonant exploration of family, identity, and the devastating impact of a crisis that continues to resonate today.
