This Documentary About A Twin Peaks Fan Obsessed With Laura Palmer Looks Amazing

Here’s some Kickstarter heat: Northwest Passage, a work-in-progress documentary that derives its name from David Lynch’s original title for Twin Peaks. The film tells the story of an unhappy gay teenager named Travis Blue who found refuge in Twin Peaks as it was being filmed in his hometown—perhaps a bit too much refuge. Modeling his adolescence after the show’s fallen angel Laura Palmer, he dealt with his shitty situation by getting into drugs and sex work, just like she did. “This wasn’t just growing up,” Travis says in the trailer. “I was hooking in the same bar that Laura Palmer was hooking in.”

The trailer and story have a real Tarnation vibe—and in fact Jonathan Caouette, that soul-baring doc’s director and star, is executive producing, along with the people who made that insane The Shining riff Room 237. It’s directed by Adam Baran, best known so far for Jackpot, a short film exploring similar territory: a bullied gay teenager who finds a fictional but supportive community among the gay porn stars he jerks off to. It’s such a solid crew—how could Northwest Passage not be good?

Apparently Showtime is bringing back Lynch to make a new season, but I'm more looking forward to this, so let me just shill a bit more. They’re hoping for $60,000 to supplement private funding. The money they raise will largely go to reenactments, which judging by the existing shot of Travis faking dead in Laura Palmer plastic, will be great. The Kickstarter rewards include a personalized voicemail message recorded by the woman who played the sheriff’s department receptionist, signed production stills from the show, and a personalized Twin Peaks in tour of Washington led by Travis himself, the world's foremost expert on living that life. Hope they get what they need.