New York Underground Film Festival
(2005)
Asia Argento
The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things
Film
Creative Migration supported Asia Argento as her cultural sponsor, along with the Italian Cultural Institute, for her film, "The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things" (an adaptation of the novel by J.T. Leroy, a.k.a. Laura Albert), at the 12th New York Underground Film Festival.The screening was held March 9th, 2005, opening night of the festival, at the Anthology Film Archives on New York City’s Lower East Side. To celebrate the New York premiere of Argento’s film, Creative Migration organized and sponsored the official after-party at the Tribeca Grand. Partners for the event included The Village Voice, JANE Magazine and SKYY Vodka.
The evening included an introduction to the film by Lou Reed, as written by J.T. Leroy, a question and answer session by Asia Argento and a deejay set by the filmmaker herself, along with sets from members of various emerging music acts, such as Matt Safer from The Rapture. A variety of people were in attendance, ranging from the New York Post to the daily filmgoer, and the night proved to be a huge success with Argento ultimately taking home the prize for Best Feature Film at the festival.
"Asia Argento, woman director and star in her own new movie, The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things, does something remarkable— she doesn't try to look good. In fact, she looks like hell, and I know few directors, and fewer stars who are brave enough to show their unmitigated dark side, with all its swollen reddish green blemishes, splotchy skin, inability to love, desire to hurt— all that true to life ugly stuff that we usually prefer to hide from others and ourselves. Asia lets it all hang out."
– Nina Menkes, Senses of Cinema