4K Restoration of Barbara Hammer's Nitrate Kisses Premieres at New York Film Festival
A newly restored 4K version of Barbara Hammer's debut feature, Nitrate Kisses (1992), is set to debut at the New York Film Festival from Saturday, October 3, to Wednesday, October 7. Renowned for her innovative editing techniques and non-linear storytelling, the late feminist filmmaker emphasized lesbian life, sexuality, and history, cementing her legacy in film. Additionally, Brydie O'Connor's documentary, Barbara Forever (2026), focuses on Hammer's contributions, while her archives continue to be preserved. Released during the early years of the AIDS crisis, Nitrate Kisses arrived at a time when LGBTQ+ individuals faced significant losses and societal backlash, including controversies surrounding artists like Andrés Serrano and Robert Mapplethorpe. The restoration underscores Hammer's lasting impact and the importance of preserving her work.
Key facts
- A new 4K restoration of Barbara Hammer's Nitrate Kisses (1992) premieres at the New York Film Festival on Saturday, October 3, running through Wednesday, October 7.
- Nitrate Kisses was Hammer's first feature film.
- Hammer was a feminist director known for syncopated cuts, layered edits, and non-linear narratives.
- Hammer is the subject of Brydie O'Connor's documentary Barbara Forever (2026).
- 1992 was early in the AIDS pandemic, with effective HIV drugs still a couple of years from approval.
- The 1992 culture war included right-wing attacks on Andrés Serrano's Piss Christ (1987) and Robert Mapplethorpe's photographs.
- Artists and arts organizations were pressured to sign anti-obscenity oaths to receive NEA funding.
- The NEA Four were defunded.
Entities
Artists
- Barbara Hammer
- Brydie O'Connor
- Andrés Serrano
- Robert Mapplethorpe
Institutions
- New York Film Festival
- National Endowment for the Arts
- NEA Four
Locations
- New York
- United States