Plot

A warts and all character study of a 58 year old, New York actor, who has been in more than a hundred totally unheard of films. This tragic comedic documentary explores the nature of performance and the complexity of self truth.

What price do we pay for the pursuit of our passions? 'Front Stage and Back' is a warts and all character study of prolific, 58 year old New York actor, Theodore Bouloukos, who has been in more than a hundred totally unheard of films. In a funny, unflinchingly honest and moving piece of cinema vérité, the camera follows Theodore's daily ups and downs over the course of two years, while exploring broader themes of performance, self knowledge, and childhood trauma carried deep into adulthood. Punctuated by clips from many of his bizarre utterly forgettable films, Theo takes us on a gloriously muddled journey through painful auditions, embarrassing rehearsals and drunken dinner parties that describe his life in New York's Upper East Side, where he shares a small rent stabilised apartment with one of his brothers. Poignant interactions with friends, family, and fellow artists highlight the loneliness of Theo's quest but he remains always exuberant, audacious, insightful, and only too willing to roll naked in the mud for inexperienced directors. A witty and wonderful narrator of his own story Theo sits for a portrait artist and discovers himself with us - exploring his many contradictions and examining why on earth he has chosen this journey.—Jacquetta May