Amanda Palmer is the DIY goddess. She’s supported herself through art in a multitude of fashions from being a bride-esque street performer to raising funds for her album with crowd-funding site Kickstarter. Not only is she a performer, but she is also the author of a book that has helped her own life as well as others. Titled The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People In, her book gives fans and readers a glimpse into her life and how she realized not everything has to be done on one’s own; there’s no shame in asking.

Although she has already given people a little piece of her life, Palmer has, again, revealed more about who she is. On Friday April 27th, she released a short film (around 30 minutes) called AMANDA PALMER – BRIDE-TRIPPING: a short film by alina simone and amanda laws.

The short piece features a culmination of 25 hours of footage from 1999 in which Amanda Palmer and Alina Simone journeyed on a joint road trip.

The film opens in a blackout with the audio of a conversation between Simone and Palmer. Then the year 2017 fades in, indicating that this is not the 1999 footage, but rather an intro. And the conversation is not light and friendly. Instead it is a deep talk between long-time friends. Simone asks Palmer if she is satisfied with what she has done and created. Her hand covers her face as she is deep in thought and the scene cuts.

This film almost seems complementary to her book in that it gives the viewer a more in-depth look into who she was as a child and young adult. In fact, there is so much footage that one could almost recreate their trip if one felt inclined to do so. As the film progresses there is a beautifully interesting part in which one gets to see the infamous bride costume Palmer’s fans have heard so much about. This film is full of love, beauty, music, art, and inspiration and is so honest that it has already become my favorite movie about an artist. Check out the film below along with the description Amanda Palmer wrote on her Youtube page. When you are home there is even a friendly NSFW video on Vimeo, but it is an absolute treat to watch both.

“read the entire backstory of this film at: http://amandapalmer.net/bridetripping

short story: in 1999, a young amanda palmer (aspiring musician, street performer, lost soul) and alina simone (aspiring filmmaker, lost soul) went on a road trip. this short is culled from over 25 hours of footage that alina took on the road. almost twenty years later, alina and editor amanda laws went through the footage.
this project was made possible by ongoing support/funding from over 10,000 patrons at https://www.patreon.com/amandapalmer.

thank you, all of you. this is the shit.

watch the unedited (NSFW!) version of the documentary on vimeo: https://vimeo.com/266741318

CREDITS:
a film directed by alina simone and amanda laws
edited by amanda laws
filmed by alina simone
featuring amanda palmer and alina simone”

Photo credit: Raymond Flotat