Shelly's Leg Employs Captivating Re-Enactments to Narrate the Tale of a Gay Bar Funded by a Cannon Mishap.

      “Shelly’s Leg” presents a narrative that feels fictional: In 1970, a quirky young stripper named Shelly Baumann lost her leg in an unusual parade cannon accident and then used her settlement to establish Shelly’s Leg — one of the country’s first openly gay social venues.

      As you watch “Shelly’s Leg,” directed by Wes Hurley, there are moments where you might think it’s all a playful ruse — the interviewees appear so charmingly naïve, the visuals are exquisitely arranged, and the imagery resembles something too immaculate to be real.

      However, “Shelly’s Leg” is entirely factual, and the individuals featured are authentic. The film, which is currently being screened at the Santa Fe International Film Festival, possesses a striking aesthetic and timeless feel, attributed to Hurley’s innovative approach to re-enactments. He brought in contemporary actors dressed in period clothing to perform interviews with individuals familiar with Shelly’s story, then manipulated the footage to give it an aged appearance.

      Hurley was born in Vladivostok in the Soviet Union and later attended the University of Washington after moving to the U.S. with his mother. He has written, directed, and produced numerous award-winning short films, three feature films, and two seasons of Capitol Hill, a series he developed for the Huffington Post. His documentary short “Little Potato” earned a Jury Prize at SXSW, and his autobiographical comedy Potato Dreams of America premiered in the Narrative Feature Competition at SXSW 2021, winning the Best Screenplay award at Outfest that same year.

      We spoke with Hurley about transforming tragedy into humor, enlisting Kathleen Turner for “Shelly’s Leg,” and his deliberate choice not to use AI.

      Shelly’s Leg Director Wes Hurley Discusses a Distinctive Approach to Documentary Re-Enactments

      “Shelly’s Leg,” courtesy of Wes Hurley

      MovieMaker: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

      Wes Hurley: I studied painting and theater, but I always aspired to be a filmmaker. After graduating, I purchased a second-hand camera and began documenting live theater, music, and burlesque shows. Having built relationships with various performers in Seattle, I started casting them in short films, and it progressed from there. My first two feature films were made guerrilla-style, without a crew but with large casts. Over time, I’ve formed a creative collective in Seattle that I continually collaborate with.

      MovieMaker: How did you discover Shelly’s Leg, and what motivated you to tell this story?

      Wes Hurley: A few years ago, I came across the book Gay Seattle by Gary Atkins, a well-written local history that reads like a thriller. One of the chapters focused on Shelly’s Leg, and I immediately felt compelled to create a film about it after completing my feature. Just like in my biographical film Potato Dreams of America, I am drawn to real-life stories that are bizarrely stranger than fiction. I appreciate the intersection of tragedy and comedy in life, similar to art. Shelly’s Leg’s narrative is both sad and funny, ultimately exploring our responses to the circumstances we face.

      MovieMaker: At one point, I thought the film might be entirely AI-generated, and I even questioned whether Shelly’s Leg was a real place. (Which it is.) I suspected it was AI because the aged footage looked exceptionally pristine. Could you explain your historical re-enactment process?

      Wes Hurley: I haven't heard anyone liken it to AI before, but I was concerned that perception might arise during production, especially since I invested significant effort to achieve an authentically vintage appearance, which is often challenging in films. At that time, discussions surrounding AI were gaining traction, and people were sharing insights about its capabilities.

      I find that situation quite troubling, and it was crucial for me to clarify that I wasn’t engaging with that technology in any capacity. Emulating a 70s aesthetic was an enjoyable challenge. Working with a limited budget meant that everything captured on camera had to be meticulously curated — casting the right actors, locating spots in the city that could convincingly represent a different era, and collaborating with our brilliant costume designer Ronald Leamon.

      I applied real film grain to the final footage to achieve the desired look, along with color correction and various effects. For sound, I collaborated with Paul Miller at Bad Animals to produce scratchy, vintage-sounding recordings for the interviews. I handle my own color work, but I’m not skilled in sound mixing. Paul did an excellent job capturing the quality I aimed for in our audio mix.

      MovieMaker: I imagined others might have thought this was AI too, given your disclaimer at the conclusion.

      Wes Hurley: My greater concern was that viewers wouldn’t believe it’s based on a true story, or that the interviews featured real statements from individuals, leading me to include a disclaimer that all interviews are