Greg Whiteley, Netflix’s favorite sports documentary filmmaker, is taking you back to his roots at the Center Virtual Festival with a screening of his first cult classic, New York Doll.

Documentary filmmaker Greg Whiteley is the creative force behind some of the most compelling contemporary documentary series. In recent years, you’ve likely become caught up in the world of competitive cheerleading with the series Cheer, rooted for an underdog team in Last Chance U, or been swept up in a newfound craze for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders after America’s Sweethearts. Whiteley has a gift for turning real-life characters into unforgettable stories. And now, his latest series, The Clubhouse, just dropped on Netflix (April 8), giving viewers an all-access pass into the fascinating world of major league baseball and the Boston Red Sox.

Before the epic Netflix documentaries, there was New York Doll

Before he turned the camera to cheer squads and quarterbacks and the resulting Emmy awards & streaming success, Whiteley made a quiet masterpiece that put him on the map: New York Doll. Now, you have the chance to join Greg Whiteley at the Center Virtual Festival on May 30th at a celebratory 20th-anniversary screening of his first documentary.

The 2005 film tells the story of Arthur “Killer” Kane, bassist of the legendary proto-punk band the New York Dolls, whose unlikely conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints paved the way for a remarkable—and deeply human—comeback. It’s moving, unforgettable, and widely considered a cult classic.

It was received with praise by critics and fellow filmmakers. It premiered at Sundance film festival in 2005 where it was nominated for both a Satellite Award and a Grand Jury Prize. Not to spoil the ending, but the credits even include a cover of “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief” by the band’s lead singer David Johansen, who passed away this past March.

Join Greg for a Special Screening at the Center Virtual Festival 🎉

This year marks the 20th anniversary of New York Doll, and we’re celebrating it in style at the Center Virtual Festival. Join us on Friday night, May 30, for a special screening of the film followed by a live Q&A with Greg Whiteley himself. He’ll reflect on the making of the film, the experience of following Arthur’s story, and how that project shaped the two decades of filmmaking that followed.

This event has all the makings of a film festival highlight—don’t miss your chance to see it on the big (virtual) screen and hear directly from one of today’s great documentary storytellers.

Grab your tickets and check out the full lineup at festival.centerforlatterdaysaintarts.org

Join us at the virtual festival