# Tarnation (2003)

> A radically assembled autobiographical portrait of a son tracing trauma, mental illness, and queer survival through the wreckage of his family history.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/movie/962

## Facts

- Runtime: 91 min
- Genres: Documentary, Drama
- Director: Jonathan Caouette
- Cast: Renee Leblanc, Adolph Davis, Jonathan Caouette, Rosemary Davis, David Sanin Paz
- TMDB rating: 6.8/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390538/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: extreme
- Complexity: dense
- Violence: moderate
- Mood: harrowing, psychedelic, intimate, arthouse film night, documentary deep dive

## Synopsis

A deeply personal exploration of family trauma and mental illness unfolds through a kaleidoscope of memories and media.

## Movies like Tarnation

- [Paris Is Burning (1991)](https://ember.film/movie/19499)
- [C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005)](https://ember.film/movie/6403)
- [Closet Monster (2016)](https://ember.film/movie/228651)
- [Alexander The Fool (2019)](https://ember.film/movie/453323)
- [Life Is a Dream (2014)](https://ember.film/movie/7357963)
- [Asog (2025)](https://ember.film/movie/1084741)
- [Flee (2021)](https://ember.film/movie/480784)
- [The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2006)](https://ember.film/movie/7620)
- [Demon Box (2023)](https://ember.film/movie/1065320)
- [The Wolfpack (2015)](https://ember.film/movie/190362)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt