Film: Jean Cocteau

Gay poet, novelist, filmmaker, and artist Jean Cocteau was a visionary whose influence shaped the 20th century and continues to resonate today. Through rare archival footage, personal interviews, and clips from his groundbreaking work, Jean Cocteau offers a vivid portrait of an artist who defied convention at every turn.

Narrated by Josh O’Connor and directed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland (Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation, Frameline45), this compelling documentary traces Cocteau’s fearless creativity across cinema, literature, and the visual arts. A gay icon who lived through two world wars, the Great Depression, and shifting cultural tides, Cocteau authored enduring works like The Human Voice (La voix humaine) and redefined what it meant to be an artist in the modern era. Complicated and unapologetically himself, his art — steeped in beauty, myth, and desire — remains strikingly relevant. This rich and intimate portraitcaptures the spirit of an avant-garde master whose legacy continues to challenge boundaries and inspire new generations.

https://http://www.frameline.org/films/frameline49/jean-cocteau