Film Club: THE DOOM GENERATION

Indie film renegade Gregg Araki has screened nearly all of his films at the Sundance Film Festival, from 1992’s The Living End to 2026’s I Want Your Sex. The second film of his so-called “Teen Apocalypse Trilogy,” The Doom Generation premiered at the 1995 festival, where it scandalized critics and audiences. The film languished in studio-censored form for decades until 2023, when Araki released a director’s cut to a new generation of viewers. It has since become one of Araki’s signature works: a queer, sexy cult classic steeped in ’90s nihilism.

The Film Club event series is proud to devote its September session to the meth-fueled madness of The Doom Generation. A monthly, community-driven deep dive into the soul of the Sundance Film Festival, Film Club highlights one film each month from the recently-published Sundance Film Festival 101 Watchlist. 

In this free, online event, Film Club host Kiva Reardon will lead a discussion on this gleefully profane road movie starring Rose McGowan and James Duval. Reardon is a film producer (Sorry, Baby), critic (cléo journal), and programmer (Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, TIFF) who serves as the lead lecturer and host of Film Club on Sundance Collab. Reardon will analyze how the hallmarks of an Araki movie cohere in The Doom Generation: the anarchic tone, the shoegaze soundtrack, the stylized set and costume design, the nihilistic worldview, and the quotable obscenities.

Araki’s relationship with the Sundance Institute is a long and storied one. The Sundance Institute Labs helped launch Araki's career by supporting his early indie work, which led to the premieres of The Living End and Totally F*ed Up at the 1992 and 1994 festivals. Decades later, the Institute helped fund the 4K restoration of Araki’s 2004 film Mysterious Skin, which screened at the festival earlier this year. 

This online session will include clips, discussion, and an audience Q&A in which attendees can ask questions about Araki’s work. This event will conclude with attendees entering breakout rooms to discuss the film in small groups. 

Don’t miss our latest event in our monthly Film Club series with Kiva Reardon.

Claim your free spot now.

Visit JustWatch to learn where you can stream or rent the film in your region.

If you would benefit from an accommodation to fully participate in this event, please complete this form, contact us at (435) 776-7790, or email us at accessibility@sundance.org to discuss your specific requests. Every effort will be made to accommodate advance requests; however, requests made within 5 days of the event may not be guaranteed.

A recording of this session will be posted to Film Club within two business days of the live event. Everyone who registers for this session will receive an email with a link to view the recording when it is posted!