Benjamin Smoke

In life, the late Atlanta musician known as Benjamin (née Robert Dickerson) was a jumble of identities--singer, Patti Smith fan, drag queen, drug addict, and wry raconteur. The story of the 10 years before his 1999 death from complications due to HIV makes for an engrossing viewing experience for indie-minded film fans. Directors Jem Cohen (the Fugazi documentary Instrument) and Peter Sillen (Speed Racer) capture this eccentric figure in glimpses of 16mm and Super 8 as he philosophizes and performs with his bands, the Opal Foxx and, later, Smoke. The film's tone turns bleak as Benjamin's health begins to deteriorate, but his resilient nature, and a moving appearance by Smith that provides a coda for his life, brings a bittersweet finale in this fascinating portrait of a deep dreamer.