Bight of the Twin

BIGHT OF THE TWIN tells the story of Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and the Los Angeles-based artist and filmmaker Hazel Hill McCarthy III's journey to Ouidah in Benin to explore the origins of the Vodoun (Voodoo) religion.

Transcending assumptions of what it means to be “gendered,” Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and late wife Lady Jaye underwent a series of surgical procedures to become physically identical to one another, seeking to perfect a gender-neutral state through a process they termed Pandrogyny. In 2007, Jaye unexpectedly died of cancer. Genesis has maintained the concept of the Pandrogyne and continues to self-reference in the plural (“we”) and uses the self-prescribed gender neutral “s/he”, “h/er”. As Genesis puts it, since Lady Jaye “dropped h/er body” s/he is the half of the Pandrogyne in the immaterial world, with Genesis being the half in the material world, still connected making, a whole.

This path is both a brutal and loving one for Genesis, and s/he is constantly battling the hardship, grief, and pitfalls of devoting one’s life to art and love in such a drastic way. Hazel Hill McCarthy III, longtime friend and collaborator, in hopes of keeping Genesis positive and active, suggests a trip to Ouidah, Benin, the birthplace of Vodoun, to work on a project together exploring the relationship between Vodoun and Western performance art. Upon their arrival they discover a radical connection between Genesis’ life and artistic practice, and one of the world’s oldest religions.

Benin has the highest national average of twins per birth in the world, so it is not surprising that twins carry a sacred meaning. Twins there are venerated as Gods. As we learn through the film’s many twin stories, when one twin passes away, the living twin remembers its spirit by carrying around a small, carved replica of their dead brother or sister, called a Jumeaux – a colloquialism of the French word, jumeau, meaning twin. In Benin, it is never said that a twin dies; rather it is said that they have gone to the forest to look for wood. 

Beginning as an investigation, the nature of the project changes drastically when Genesis is serendipitously initiated into the "Twin Fetish"—a ritual in which there is an activation of a dead twin’s spirit in order to allow for the living one to remain connected with the one who has passed; a merging back to a whole. Genesis, through this ancient religion, sees a way to reconnect with the spirit of h/er deceased wife, and dives in. As the film progresses, we begin to see the link between Pandgrogyny and the "Twin Fetish". 

Ultimately, during shooting the nature of the film changed from simply being a catalyst for audiences to gain a wider understanding and acceptance of Vodoun, to being itself, Vodoun—an object that has been activated by creation.




 









Screenings

PAST

MOOGFEST, DURHAM
    Saturday, May 19 2018 • 5:00pm - 7:00pm


De Haperende Mens, Rotterdam
    January 13th & 14th, 2018


Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland
    September 8th & 10th, 2017

LEVY.DELVAL, Brussels
    May 27 - July 8, 2017

Samuel Freeman Gallery, Los Angeles
    June 24th, 2017

SF DocFest, San Francisco
    June 10 & 12, 2017

Rio Cinema, London
    May 27, 2017

Denver FilmCenter, Denver
    May 12, 2017

Kazoo!, Ontario
    April 5, 2017

westKowloon, Hong Hong
    April 4, 2017

New York Live Arts, NY
    March 16, 2017

Consulate General of Mexico, Hong Kong
    March 16, 2017

M+ Museum for Visual Culture, Hong Kong
    March 7, 2017

Museo Tamayo, Mexico City
    February 18, 2017

Steps, Moscow
    January 28, 2017

Erata Museum, St. Petersburg
    January 29, 2017

CTM Festival, Berlin
    January 31, 2017

FOLK, Gothenburg
    February 7, 2017

Inkonst, Malmø
    February 8, 2017

Unsound Festival, Krakow
    October 19, 2016

The Third Ear, Tel Aviv
    September 16, 2016

Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London
    September 13, 17 & 21, 2016

Rubin Museum of Art, New York
    July 15, 2016








Contact

Tiffany Naiman
Producer
+1 310 666 1013
tiffany.naiman@gmail.com













Teaser Credits: 
Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Dah Gbédjinon, Adepts, Douglas J. McCarthy, Lewis Teague Wright, Eric Nordhauser, Hypolite Apovo and Staderman Sardou Gbédjinon.

Music by DJM/REX

Film Credits:
A Film By Hazel Hill McCarthy III
With Genesis Breyer P-Orridge
Produced by Tiffany Naiman
Produced by Douglas J McCarthy
Co-Produced by Lewis Teague Wright
Dah Gléhxé Gbedjinon Todomin Sêtoun-Atin Kinmahon
Sardou Gbédjinon
Eugenie Adjadohoun Hovi Honon
The Adepts
Dah Dah Deh
Hyppolite Apovo
And Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge
Filmed by Hazel Hill McCarthy III, Lewis Teague Wright, Douglas J McCarthy and Eric Nordhauser
Music Composed by DJM/REX
Sound Design & Music Production by Ken “Hiwatt” Marshall
Color by Asa Fox
Home Movies by Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge, Genesse P-Orridge and Genesis Breyer P-Orridge
Medical Footage by Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge
Legal Council by Jamil Kassimali and Brian Wirsching

Archival Footage:

New York Story, 2011
Directed by Nicolas Jenkins

Blood Sacrifice, 2011
Courtesy of Invisible Exports. Video recorded by Tom Powel Imaging and Nathan Maxwell Cann

No is Yes, 1997
Directed by Laura Parnes

The Pandrogyne Manifesto, 2005
A film by Aldo Lee and Dionyson Andronis

Black, 1991
Filmed by Karen and John Bentham

Lady Jaye Memorial Video, 1969 - 2007
Video tribute by Laura Parnes

Archival slide show by Laure Leber
Photos by Carl Abrahamsson, Jackie Breyer, Poison Eve, Flloyd, Georg Gatsas, Marie Losier, Kristi Leibowitz, Laura Leber, Tina Paul, Genesis P-Orridge, Edward O’Dowd, Rafi, Frank Schwere, Marti Wilkerson

Kitty Boots Destructions Fashion Shows, 1993
Shot at Mother and Zone DK
Courtesy of Antony and the Black Lips Archives

Moonchild
Directed by Genesis Breyer P-Orridge
Music by Psychic TV

Psycollection 23
Images by Kalis 37 &123, Edens 123, 140 & 162
Music by White Stains and Psychic TV

A Message From Thee Temple Ov Psychic Youth, 1983
Directed by Psychick Television (Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and Peter Christopherson)
Featuring Derek Jarman

Songs:
‘Golgatha’ by DJM/REX
‘Unclean’ by Psychic TV
‘Snakes’ by Psychic TV

Additional Recording by Joseph Bouillot

Very Special Thanks to Cyrus Rex, Eve-Marie Kuijstermans, Invisible Exports Gallery, First Third Books, Leigha Mason, Santi Vernetti, Charlie Phillips, Hussain Currimbhoy, Malina Molgan, Richard Clouston, Daveid Phillips and Rita Blazyca, Hearworm Press/WAR, Joan Mccarthy, Elisha Drons, Charlene & Ken Ventanilla, Jalal Poehlman, Nick Letchford, William Marshall, Asa Fox, William Morrison, Steven Gilmore, Freddy Christy, Derrick Baseck, Mark Licari, Edley O’Dowd, Ryan Martin, Adam Lee Miller and Nicola Kuperus, Moe Espinosa, Juan Mendez, Kenneth Gibson, Complex LA and Actually Huizenga

Special thanks to:
Tiffany Naiman & Margot Garber, JD Healy & Cathee, Museum of Death, Ken "Hiwatt" Marshall, Mickey Madden, Sam Zimmerman, Justin Land, Jonathan Davies, Paul Rogers, Stuart Roberts, Rose Ghavami, hmackiernan, Fayann Smith, Mariana Saldana, Tristan Eisenberg, Hadi & Barbara Mackarechian, Cyrus Mackarechian, Sarah Sitkin, MuffWiggler, Richard D. Clouston, Jo Ratcliff, Ryan Conlan, Daveid Phillips, May Malik, Natalya, Todd Anderson-Kunert, Alan Stephen, Luka, Bailey Jay, Jessica White, Lara Ditkoff, Jon Lemmon and Anna Brenner, Nathan Maxwell Cann, Valerie Stoneking, Mark Bourdeau, Charles Holland, James Kraybill, Astral Eyes, Andrew R, Alejandro Garcia Contreras, Tootal Family, Bela Toth, JC A Blackchurch, Michael Seaton, Shawn Shirey, Freddy Christy, Elisha Drons, JP TURMEL SORDIDE, Karen Hillenburg, Adam Miller and Nicola Kuperus, Nick Jaguar, William Marshall, Wes and Amy, Laura Balboa, Mungo Maclagan, Robert Stanley, Johnathan Kupferer, Christian Wirtz, Juan Mendez, Melissa Ahlborn, Billy Janes, Johanna Went, Tom Marzella, Jessica Grace Salazar, Daniel Jones, Brandon Rosenbluth, Robert Foster, Daniel Trese, Chris Cuellar, Textbeak, Andrew Carreon, Rosenda Moore, Clyde McConnell, Fiacre O'Duinn, Mark Licari, Jalal Poehlman, Jonty Skruff, Thomas Gorton, Luke Turner, Elizabeth Upton, Nicholas Beaton, Joseph Delaney, Leon Clowes, Todd Anderson-Kunert, Jason Gonzalez, A de Mena, Abdi Taslimi, William Chapman, Jesper Aagaard Petersen, Mo Espinosa, Bett Williams, Mark Bourdeau, Leon Clowes, Nilz Fullerton, Rebecca Forsyth, Lauren Rutigliano, Socrates Mitsios, Paul Audino, Mark Andrew, Damin J. Toell, Johan Jacobsson, Alan Wilder, Rodney Ascher, Johan Jakobsson, Hamilton Peek, Brian Staker, Dominic Johnson, Das Bunker, John Giovanazzi, Paul Blackwood, Curse Mackey, Gregory Deglas, Clement Sol, Jackie Moon Collingwood, Gidon Schults, Susan Ferris, Florent Delval, Yachun Peng, Charlene Ventanilla, Charlie Phillips, Rebecca Buhler, Kelly McKay, Michelle McLaughlin, Wanda Huizenga, Michelle Olley, Michelle A. Dyk, Deborah M., Mondo Fnordo, Giulia Ruberti, Lizzy Doe, Daniel Miller, Mr. Midian, Molly Page, Griveau, Natasha Gavrilova, David McNayr, Fabio Quaranta, Andreas Lemke, Carl Porter, Michael Sinkins, Mara Tsakiri, Tracy Snelgrove, Mariette, Tamra Ramone, Aaron Sinift, Kelly Lynn Johnston, John Housman, David Josef Tamargo, Kenneth James Gibson and Kelly Johnston, Jamie Cupit, Mr C Murchie, Jae Connor, Daniel Lopez, Christy Giordano, Peter Barden, John Carnell, RobeBurnSF, Joe Krebs, Lisa Dare, Greta, Howie Pyro, Daniel F. Nicoletta, Delphine Van Brackel, Florian Resch, Phoebe Pitassi, Jimi McDonald, Christopher Giles, Lia Gangitano, Claire Didier, Tricia Warden, Raphael A Alvarez, Darcy D Greene, Paul Johnson, Lee Adams, Nora Lockshin, Miss L J Horton, Tyler Drosdeck, Jodi Wille, Michael Golla, Mr Chris Murchie, Zoetica Ebb, Christ-pher G F-x, Txema Novelo, Brandon Rosenbluth, Mr Jackson Hodge, Adam Woodham, Kevin Gough, Chris D Dobbs, Tabitha Logan, Gilit Konski, Angela E Young, Alysse G Padilla, Eric Wanderson Nunes, Ryan Forster, Daniel Nicoletta, David C. Teague, Daniel Moran, Erica Perrault, Jean-Paul L. Garnier, Odette Fiedeldy, Monica Chieffo, Daniel Knudten, Martin Truesdell, Jean Contreras, James Swanborough, Barry Hale, Her Band Of Gold (B.A. Crumm), Terra Celeste Cronshey, Raphael A Alvarez, Gyrus, Rachel Ann Hawthorne, Eaden Rosvein, Sarah Grant, Cameron Stearnes, Candid Loophole-Diver, John Fey, Ysanne C. Spevack, Anna R Masse, Jocelyn, Christina Coulston, Linda Losi, Amber Stutzman, Vince Polito, John Orloff, Ron Athey, Joseph Moore, Kilian, KB Kinski, Lindsay Victory, Mr Dominic J. Clark, Suren Yegiazaryan, Christina Johnson, Steve Speigal, Yanick Salazar, Doug Lussenhop, Claire Lady, Lee Clowers, Vlad, Jamie Golden, Tim Woodward, Lars Sparby, Teddy Oggin, Nemo Nein, damoss11_1012

© , Bight of the Twin