An Absurd Political Comedy:
After a seance goes wrong, a teenager accidentally inflicts herself with the fabled "Kennedy Curse." In a ploy to reverse the curse, a group of theater kids devise an ambitious plan for a miracle: convince the Pope to canonize President John F. Kennedy as a saint. Dive into our collection and be part of bringing this mystical journey to life.
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About Saint JFK
A feature screenplay by Joy Anderson
My name is Joy Anderson, and I’m a graduate student studying screenwriting at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Washington, DC, is my hometown, and I’ve always been disheartened by how sterile and corporate the city is depicted in many films and television shows. To me, the capital is a mystical, romantic city filled with endless storytelling possibilities. The rich history of Black and LGBTQ+ communities in the city makes DC a perfect location for my absurd political comedy screenplay: Saint JFK. The setting of the story is especially inspired by my experiences growing up as a queer Black person in predominantly white Catholic schools. Tonally, Saint JFK mixes the camp queer humor of Bottoms (2023) with the Catholic aesthetics of Conclave (2024).
Saint JFK will be a feature-length screenplay and act as my thesis project. The funds from merchandise sales and donations on this website will go towards the production of a mixed-media proof of concept, particularly the creation of a claymation caricature of the ghost of JFK. After his death, President Kennedy has become somewhat of a patron for the arts due to the prestigious Kennedy Center in DC. Even with the current administration’s changes to this institution, I still wanted to highlight how theater clubs and organizations have long been a safe space for LGBTQ+ people. Other artforms that evolved from queer theatricality, like ballroom and drag, will be represented in this film, as well. My goal is to fully produce this film after graduation, and having a well-produced proof of concept will help secure funding
In this current political climate, it’s hard to know people who haven’t been negatively impacted by dangerous rhetoric. Many of the characters in Saint JFK are inspired by people I’ve known throughout my life, such as immigrants, Indigenous people, disabled people, and queer people, including those who don’t feel safe enough to leave the closet. Consequently, this also means that all of the characters have identities that are directly impacted by recent political decisions. But don’t expect this film to be too sad. Now more than ever, marginalized folks deserve stories that are funny, not just showcasing their pain. If you believe in a film about a bunch of overdramatic teenagers and their ghostly presidential mentor, then please consider buying merchandise and spreading the word to support this project!