Ruminations
by Robert James
Ruminations
by Robert James
Robert James
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A documentary profile on Rumi Missabu, the iconoclast cofounder of San Francisco's infamous Cockettes. Through archive footage, animation and new interviews with stars from SF's queer art past, his lurid tales in and out of the spotlight are revealed as he reinvents himself at the end of his life.
A documentary profile on Rumi Missabu, the iconoclast cofounder of San Francisco's infamous Cockettes. Through archive footage, animation and new interviews with stars from SF's queer art past, his lurid tales in and out of the spotlight are revealed as he reinvents himself at the end of his life.
In Partnership With
International Documentary Association
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Story
Inclusion Statement
Rumi is a gender-bending performance icon trying to cultivate his legacy, and his story provides representation for multiple groups long ignored by the spotlight. His life will open audiences up to gender exploration and sexuality while highlighting issues faced by the elderly and the working class.About The Project
The story of Rumi Missabu has many beginnings. There’s his life as James Bartlett, child actor in Los Angeles, born to an abusive family in a fame-obsessed town. There’s his rebirth in San Francisco as Rumi, the counter-culture icon that helped create the infamous Cockettes. There’s his reemergence after a decades-long stint off the grid when he refashioned himself as a "dance spectacle" director, staging one-night-only performances everywhere from rented church halls to Lincoln Center. And then there’s his current existence: An aging queer artist with his health greatly diminished, trying to complete his projects and archive his history to leave a final mark on the world.
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Rumi has been a larger-than-life star of stage and screen, a house cleaner/caterer with no form of ID, a celebrity stylist before such a term even existed, and a magnet for San Francisco’s artists and eccentrics. Has he told you about the time he dated three straight brothers? What about when his sister chopped her toe off with an ax? His life is a manic whirl from one story to the next, and in Ruminations, you’ll hear every delectable detail. He’s rubbed elbows with everyone from Sally Field to Tina Turner but never lost his deviant edge: Eschewing pedestrian concepts like social security numbers and settling down, Rumi has dedicated his life to the anarchistic and the free.
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Ruminations seeks to pin down the rebel spirit behind it all through anecdotes and interviews with the “male actress” at its center, as well as archival footage and fever-dream animation bringing to life those tales too outlandish to go unseen. Voices from Rumi’s life, including Cindy Williams and subversive fashion designer Billy Bowers, emerge to tell their experience of his unhinged existence, and Rumi’s crass, uncensored wit infuses every frame of the film. Ruminations is a tour through underground history and what lurks below the radar of acceptable entertainment. It’s a peek into the world of an underappreciated legend too bombastic to be ignored. Crossing boundaries and braving ridicule, Rumi Missabu’s audacious approach to life and art forged a path for the artists of today. At the end of his life, we aim to create a testament outrageous enough to be worthy of him.
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Your donation is tax deductible! Ruminations is a fiscally sponsored project of the International Documentary Association (IDA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions in support of Ruminations are payable to IDA and are tax deductible, less the value of any goods or services received, as allowed by law. The value of goods and services being offered is noted under each donation level. If you would like to deduct the entire donation you have the option to simply decline the reward at checkout.
Incentives
$5
Friend of Rumi
For a donation of $5, you'll receive a personal e-thank you note from the Ruminations team.
(Total amount is tax deductible.)
$25
Rumi Lover
For twenty-five dollars or more, you'll recieve a digital copy of Ruminations and a personal thank you shout out on the film's Facebook page! And for those interested in more instant gratification, you'll also receive our completed short doc, Library of Dust!
(Amount over $15 is tax-deductible)
$50
Robed in Rumi
For $50 or more, receive all previous rewards plus a limited edition Ruminations t-shirt!
(Amount over $35 is tax-deductible)
$75
The Sounds of Rumi
For $75 or more, you'll receive all previous rewards plus a download link to Rumination's original soundtrack!
(Amount over $45 is tax-deductible)
$100
Your Name In Lights!
For a donation of $100 or more, see your name in the Special Thanks section of Rumination's credits! You'll also receive a digital copy of Ruminations, an individual thank you on the Ruminations Facebook page (with a link back to your social media), a download link for the Ruminations original soundtrack, and a limited edition Ruminations t-shirt!
(Amount over $45 is tax-deductible)
$250
Rumi's Red Carpet!
Along with the previous rewards, you'll be invited to a friends-and-family screening of Ruminations here in Berkeley (travel costs not included)! Hobnob with Rumi and his friends, along with the NuReality team, and watch Ruminations with its star!
(Amount over $45 is tax-deductible)
$500
Rumi Hero
Along with the previous rewards, you'll receive a limited edition DVD copy of rare Cockettes film, Elevator Girls in Bondage, signed and kissed by Rumi himself!
(Amount over $65 is tax-deductible)
Sold Out!
$1,000
Unforgettable Art and Fashion
For $1000, you'll receive all previous rewards from Rumi's Red Carpet, plus:
While supplies last, receive either a one of a kind wall hanging or a piece of wearable art in jacket form from subversive designer Billy Bower! He's designed for Alice Cooper, The Rolling Stones and more, and one of his iconic pieces can be yours.
Claimed: 2 of 4
$1,500
Rumi Rendezvous
Along with the Rumi's Red Carpet rewards, you'll be special guest for an intimate dinner or skype date with either Rumi Missabu or our director, Robert James (your choice!)
(Amount over $45 is tax-deductible)
$2,000
Associate Producer
For a donation of $2000, you'll receive all the Your Name in Lights rewards plus an associate producer credit on the film! That comes with the perk of VIP seating at the film's premier or a festival screening (no travel cost included).
(Amount over $45 is tax-deductible)
$10,000
Executive Producer
For a donation of $10,000, you will be credited as one of the film's executive producers and receive all Rumi's Red Carpet rewards with a choice of an invite to the friends-and-family screening or VIP seating at a film fest screening.
(Amount over $45 is tax-deductible)
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$5
Friend of Rumi
For a donation of $5, you'll receive a personal e-thank you note from the Ruminations team.
(Total amount is tax deductible.)
$25
Rumi Lover
For twenty-five dollars or more, you'll recieve a digital copy of Ruminations and a personal thank you shout out on the film's Facebook page! And for those interested in more instant gratification, you'll also receive our completed short doc, Library of Dust!
(Amount over $15 is tax-deductible)
$50
Robed in Rumi
For $50 or more, receive all previous rewards plus a limited edition Ruminations t-shirt!
(Amount over $35 is tax-deductible)
$75
The Sounds of Rumi
For $75 or more, you'll receive all previous rewards plus a download link to Rumination's original soundtrack!
(Amount over $45 is tax-deductible)
$100
Your Name In Lights!
For a donation of $100 or more, see your name in the Special Thanks section of Rumination's credits! You'll also receive a digital copy of Ruminations, an individual thank you on the Ruminations Facebook page (with a link back to your social media), a download link for the Ruminations original soundtrack, and a limited edition Ruminations t-shirt!
(Amount over $45 is tax-deductible)
$250
Rumi's Red Carpet!
Along with the previous rewards, you'll be invited to a friends-and-family screening of Ruminations here in Berkeley (travel costs not included)! Hobnob with Rumi and his friends, along with the NuReality team, and watch Ruminations with its star!
(Amount over $45 is tax-deductible)
$500
Rumi Hero
Along with the previous rewards, you'll receive a limited edition DVD copy of rare Cockettes film, Elevator Girls in Bondage, signed and kissed by Rumi himself!
(Amount over $65 is tax-deductible)
Sold Out!
$1,000
Unforgettable Art and Fashion
For $1000, you'll receive all previous rewards from Rumi's Red Carpet, plus:
While supplies last, receive either a one of a kind wall hanging or a piece of wearable art in jacket form from subversive designer Billy Bower! He's designed for Alice Cooper, The Rolling Stones and more, and one of his iconic pieces can be yours.
Claimed: 2 of 4
$1,500
Rumi Rendezvous
Along with the Rumi's Red Carpet rewards, you'll be special guest for an intimate dinner or skype date with either Rumi Missabu or our director, Robert James (your choice!)
(Amount over $45 is tax-deductible)
$2,000
Associate Producer
For a donation of $2000, you'll receive all the Your Name in Lights rewards plus an associate producer credit on the film! That comes with the perk of VIP seating at the film's premier or a festival screening (no travel cost included).
(Amount over $45 is tax-deductible)
$10,000
Executive Producer
For a donation of $10,000, you will be credited as one of the film's executive producers and receive all Rumi's Red Carpet rewards with a choice of an invite to the friends-and-family screening or VIP seating at a film fest screening.
(Amount over $45 is tax-deductible)
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Robert James (Director/Producer) - Robert James began his foray into filmmaking midlife (at age 44) when he bought his first video camera and traveled the world shooting footage. Learning to edit with iMovie led to some film classes at San Francisco City College in 2008. Upon viewing the documentary DIG! Robert joined filmmaker Ondi Timoner as an intern. Robert traveled with Ondi, learned to shoot and worked in the editing room on her projects. He then uncovered a story about death, mental illness and art. The two co-directed a short film based around a Mental Institute. Library of Dust was a great success garnering four Best Documentary Short Film Awards along with several Jury and Audience awards. Robert then found his next project (now being tailored into a 4-part series for broadcast) called The Night Minister about Sex and Religion. This led to creating the web series Adventures in Boobyland for two seasons about The Larry Flynt Hustler strip-clubs. He is also producing and directing a feature documentary about a gender-bending performance artist called Ruminations. The Night Minister and Ruminations are slated for completion in 2017.
Nick Blond (Editor/Associate Producer) - Nick Blond is originally from Humboldt County, CA, where he graduated from College of the Redwoods. During his time there, he interned at the Humboldt-Del Norte Film Commission and worked on and off set for a number of productions, from independent short films such as Into the Dark (2013) to HGTV's House Hunters. He then moved to the Bay Area to continue his studies as a Motion Pictures & Television major at Academy of Art University. Since then, he has worked as a freelance videographer, capturing corporate events, music videos, and editing a series of popular videos for the food company Hampton Creek. Though focused on editing and versed in a variety of post-production software such as Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere, Nick has worn many hats on a number of projects with NuReality Productions including the upcoming series, The Night Minister.
Rudy Behrens (Cinematographer/Associate Producer) - Rudy Behrens is the head cinematographer for NuReality Productions, shooting countless interviews and events for an upcoming documentary series and short film. While his focus has always been on cinematography and camera operation, Rudy is also a skilled editor, and enjoys digging into the research and detective work that comes with documentary filmmaking. Apart from his work at NuReality, Rudy has shot and edited a series of web videos showcasing bay area artists, worked on numerous music videos, and shot and animated several food videos for Hampton Creek. Rudy is currently immersed in editing and shooting Nureality Productions’ upcoming film Ruminations.
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