aGLIFF Preview: Chris and Don

This afternoon, aGLIFF presents Chris and Don: a Love Story, a documentary chronicling of the real life romance between British writer Christopher Isherwood (probably most famous for penning Cabaret) and American portrait painter Don Bachardy.

Through photographs, archival footage and candid interviews with Bachardy, the film follows the couple from their first meeting in 1950s Malibu to Isherwood's death in 1986. As you might imagine, 1950s California was not the ideal place for an uncompromisingly out couple to flourish--let alone one with a near thirty year age difference (Bachardy was 16 when he met Isherwood on a local gay beach). But despite the challenges, the couple remained deeply, happily in love.

Bachardy's joyful, sprightly reminiscences are mesmerizing (despite his exceedingly strange manner of speaking), and Chris and Don manages to be interesting, inspiring and sad all at the same time. We highly recommend this one.