What if a single film could change the course of your life? For Sav Rodgers, Chasing Amy was not just a movie, it was a lifeline. Now, years later, that same kid has turned filmmaker, sharing their story through the lens of a deeply personal documentary, CHASING CHASING AMY. In the documentary, Rodgers unpacks the film’s complicated legacy within LGBTQ+ communities, exploring why it resonates so deeply for some while sparking criticism from others. The documentary goes beyond revisiting an old favorite. To learn more about Sav Rodgers and the film, read on.

Where are you based?
I'm a boy from Kansas living in Las Vegas.

What inspired you to pursue a career in the entertainment industry?
Growing up in Kansas, I had few friends, a wild imagination, and I loved writing stories. I also loved watching films and TV — pretty much anything I could get my hands on. I didn't know any of that could be a job until I watched Chasing Amy for the first time.

Congratulations on the release of CHASING CHASING AMY. What inspired you to create a documentary around Chasing Amy?
When I was 12 years old, I saw Chasing Amy for the first time as a closeted queer, trans kid in Kansas. The movie saved my life when I was dealing with anti-queer harassment at school, and it was the first time I was ever conscious of seeing queer characters on screen in a way that made any impact. And then as a college student, I became aware that there were other queer people who disliked Chasing Amy for the way it portrayed queer characters, the film's relationship between Alyssa and Holden, among other things. There was an interesting tension that I wanted to explore; how could the movie that saved my life be something that harmed other queer people? And everything took off from there.

How did the film impact you personally as a young queer person?
Chasing Amy changed everything for me. It was a life raft when I felt utterly alone, and it made me feel like I had a future when the world was telling me I didn't. It really can't be overstated how important this film was to me as a kid.

What do you hope viewers take away from CHASING CHASING AMY as it hits theaters, especially for those who may be new to Chasing Amy or the conversations around it?
The stories we watch and consume matter — we share our lives with these fictional characters, and they often shape us and impact us. I think it was Scorsese who said that cinema is the ultimate vehicle for empathy, so I hope viewers take away a deeper appreciation for how cinema can shape our understanding of ourselves and each other.

Why do you think the film has remained so impactful yet controversial within LGBTQ+ communities over the years?
The film inspires a lot of conversation, which is why I was so fascinated with telling this story. I liken it to a cultural Rorschach Test; I've seldom seen two people see the exact same thing upon watching it, because the viewer is imposing their own experience onto the film — where they come from in terms of their own perspective on relationships, sexual orientation, friendships, among other things. It's one of the reasons there's friction around it — lauded by some and despised by others. That's a mark of an interesting film, in my book.

As this documentary touches on personal growth and self-discovery, did you find yourself seeing Chasing Amy differently at different stages in your life, or even while making the documentary?
While I mostly watched Chasing Amy in more of a work sense while making the documentary, I did find myself reflecting on Kevin's film differently than I did when I was a kid — which makes total sense. It would be weird if I didn't. I've always loved revisiting films at different phases of my life to see how the meaning changes, and this time, I did it in this bizarrely meta way that allowed me to tell a new story. There's something beautiful in the idea of being a fan of a medium and then becoming an artist through the love of something.

How has the conversation around LGBTQ+ representation and identity in film evolved since Chasing Amy was released in 1997, and where do you see it heading in the future?
Oh, it's changed drastically in so many ways. Hell, even when I was growing up, Glee was breaking ground for queer characters on TV. We're breaking new ground every day in this business — look at the success of The People's Joker, or I Saw the TV Glow, or Kokomo City. Those are all great films helmed by trans directors released in the last two years. At the same time, some things haven't changed at all. We still have the same diversity panels depicted within Chasing Amy about storytellers from marginalized communities to a comical degree. If I've learned anything from this process, it's that I cannot predict the future and that queer stories will endure no matter what the future has in store for us.

What do you hope to see change in the entertainment industry regarding the storytelling of LGBTQ+ experiences? How can these shifts impact audiences seeking representation?
Queer authorship is extremely important to me. My sincerest hope is to see LGBTQ+ filmmakers receive proper support and funding to tell their stories across a broad spectrum, from underground experimental films to arthouse flicks to commercial blockbusters. The Celluloid Closet and Disclosure both make a case for this in beautiful ways: the work is usually better, in my opinion, it's certainly more authentic, and we get to go places that have largely gone unexplored in cinema if we fund queer filmmakers with great taste and bold imagination. But if those filmmakers never receive support, whether financially or through our community, we may never get to see their stories come to fruition. I want to see queer filmmakers keep winning.

What advice would you give to other filmmakers who want to explore deeply personal stories or reinterpret controversial films in ways that shed new light on their cultural impact?
After going through this process, my first question to those filmmakers would be to ask them why they want to do that. I walked into this process deeply unaware of the emotional toll it would take on me, as it became way more personal than I ever thought imaginable. Understanding your why is imperative to creating any type of art worth watching.

Are there any upcoming projects you would like to share?
For something completely different, my next film is a scripted film called Pancake Skank. It's a totally fucksticks fantastical friendship comedy that I think people will dig. It ultimately explores the desire to be known and have another person really see you, but it's done through this fun, surrealist lens.

It has been a crazy past few years, how have you been staying positive?
It's tough to stay optimistic about anything right now. I don't know many people who aren't struggling under the crushing weight of fascism right now. And workers within the entertainment business are suffering due to severe contractions mandated by people who don't know the first thing about what it means to make a film. It's the reality of where we are and where we've been for a while.

I'm a lucky guy: I have a great partner and support system that makes it all more bearable. It makes it easier to retain my optimistic outlook. I genuinely believe we can get through this, but it won't be without loss or strife. But if we look out for each other, it can make all of this easier. We're going to need one another.

What is your motto in life?
If I had to choose one, I supposed it would be: "you already have everything you need." Scott Mosier actually imparted this wisdom to me via his love of the Stoics.

To learn more about Sav Rodgers, please follow the links below
Instagram: @savrodgersfilm
Bluesky: @savrodgers.bsky.social
savrodgers.com
chasingamydoc.com

Sav Rodgers - Film that Changes Lives