Testament

*TESTAMENT* is James Broughton's self-portrait. A major figure in avant-garde filmmaking and poetry since the 1940s, Broughton portrays his life and work with irony, charm, humor, and a combination of joyous self-love and gentle self-deprecation. Scenes from his earlier films incorporate humor, magic, slapstick, melodrama, and romance, reflecting his aesthetic. A variety of rich personal symbols appear throughout the film, connected by verbal games, Zen poems, anecdotes, songs, a child's prayer, dreams, and visions. Karen Cooper described the film as "exquisite," noting its unique blend of elements. P. Adams Sitney called it "one of the most remarkable films ever produced within the American independent cinema," and "the most moving and most sublimely detached of the recent trend of filmic autobiographies," placing Broughton among peers such as Jerome Hill, Jonas Mekas, and Stan Brakhage. Amos Vogel described *TESTAMENT* as "a beautiful, important, mysterious work."