Tender Fictions

Hammer’s 1996 autobiographical documentary “Tender Fictions” is the second in a trilogy “Invisible Histories” that includes the iconic “Nitrate Kisses” and “History Lessons”. The film was chosen for the 1996 Sundance Film Festival, for which Lisanne Skyler wrote, “Barbara Hammer’s struggle becomes symbolic of all those who have rejected the ideals by which they were raised... a moving and provocative look at the role of community in an artist’s life and the role of the artist in her community."

“The fluidity of gender in my community intrigued me too. How could biography be fixed if gender, sexuality and all the counterparts of costume, gesture, behavior and sexual practice were fluid? In ‘Tender Fictions’ I was both Barbara Hammer and Bob Hammer, the pronouns changed from ‘her’ to ‘him’ to ‘I.’ Fantasy and ‘truth’ comingled and performance was self-construction. Power relations changed too as I gave the audience the power to make meaning. They could construct sense and decipher ‘truths’ and ‘fictions’ in “Tender Fictions” just like they determined chronology while watching “Nitrate Kisses”.” – says Barbara Hammer in the book “Hammer! Making Movies Out of Sex and Life” (2010).