Film Forum

WINNER, TEDDY AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY, 2026 BERLIN FILM FESTIVAL  

Pioneering queer avant-garde filmmaker Barbara Hammer (1939–2019) broke barriers by centering frank lesbian sexuality and pleasure in an expansive body of beautiful, poetic, personal work. In BARBARA FOREVER—constructed largely from Hammer’s own archive spanning five decades, alongside audio diaries and present-day conversations with her longtime partner, Florrie Burke—director Brydie O’Connor crafts a loving portrait of a force of nature while accompanying her through her final years and creative processes. 

Presented with support from The R.G. Rifkind Foundation Endowment for Queer Cinema and The Roy Lichtenstein Foundation Fund

2026     102 MIN.     USA      STRAND RELEASING  

Reviews

“A veritable goldmine of queer cinema history, and a film worthy of its peerless subject.”
– Sam Bodrojan,  IndieWire 

“A beautifully assembled introduction to Hammer’s adventurous life and work... the aesthetic is that of a dynamic collagist, piecing together films, interviews and audio recordings into a portrait of real depth and style.”
– Zachary Barnes, The Wall Street Journal

“Barbara Hammer was a bad-ass punk rocker... this film lays bare the essence of an icon.”
– Todd Haynes

“A fantastic new documentary from director Brydie O’Connor (and produced by Christine Vachon’s Killer Films and Kristen Stewart), aims to introduce the filmmaker to a wider audience with help from Hammer herself. The film is narrated with Hammer’s voice—pulled from decades of audio diaries—and features interviews with [Hammer’s partner Florrie] Burke as well as footage from Hammer’s massive personal archive, including previously unreleased material... The documentary clarifies just how radical Hammer’s work was, and how it inspired many of the queer artists and filmmakers who came after her.”
– Rachel Handler, Vulture

“A remarkable collaboration between queer filmmakers past and present, and a testament to the impact of trailblazing. It’s an exhibition that inspires a call to action. BARBARA FOREVER is a chance to learn the legacy of what its subject deemed the art of living, making, and dying.”
– Peyton Robinson, RogerEbert.com

“A pioneer of lesbian cinema gets a documentary worthy of her.”
– Alissa Wilkinson, The New York Times

“Remarkable... A hypnotic portrait of an artist who endeavored to capture the vast scale of queer life... [imbued] with rare intimacy and tenderness.”
– Maxwell Rabb, Harper’s Bazaar