The prolific avant-garde composer, singer-songwriter, cellist, and disco producer Arthur Russell made music that spanned both pop and the transcendent possibilities of abstract art. This film features rare archival footage captured before his untimely death from AIDS in 1992, with commentary from some of Russell’s closest collaborators, including Philip Glass and Allen Ginsberg.

Followed by a conversation with musicians/composers Ernie Brooks and Peter Zummo, who were Russell’s friends and collaborators, and Steve Knutson of Audika Records, the exclusive representative for Russell’s archive and estate—all of whom also appear in the film.