A large part of CAConrad’s family are gun freaks and work in the town’s coffin factory. His father is a Vietnam veteran. “I have the luxury of coming from white trash,” CAConrad says. At high school, they were outed by a cheerleader and became the victim of bullies. They moved to Philadelphia in the 80s and became a poet. The books that have appeared since the early 00s quickly turned CAConrad into an icon of American counterculture. This is particularly true of the poetry collection The Book of Frank (Wave Books), which was published in 2010. Seemingly autobiographical and confessional, it nevertheless confidently defies this tradition. The documentary traces CAConrad’s development: It is a film about art, Elvis, and tarot, but it’s also about the never-ending violence against everyone who don’t conform to a standardized and repressive society. The unsolved case of the murder of Mark Holmes (aka Earth), who was CAConrad’s partner, also plays a central role in The Book of Conrad.

“It is because of poetry that the documentary is being made. And it is because of poetry that I am healing,” says CAConrad.

Following the film, CAConrad will be interviewed by Shane Anderson.

Moderation: Shane Anderson

The event will be interpreted into German from English.

Project management: Nadine Tenbieg