By Sohaib Shams
Jordan Firstman celebrated the premiere of his debut feature film "Club Kid" with an after-party at Indochine in Manhattan's NoHo neighborhood following its screening at the New York Film Festival. The 35-year-old filmmaker, who spent a decade as a comedian, television writer and Instagram personality, arrived just after midnight to a venue transformed by flashing lights, a DJ remixing Whitney Houston, and free-flowing martinis.
From Instagram Provocateur to Filmmaker
Firstman built an online following through comedic videos that often courted controversy, including criticism last year over remarks about gay sex scenes in the series "Heated Rivalry." At the party, he mingled with cast members Josh Hutcherson and François Arnaud, the latter of whom apparently forgave the earlier comments. Firstman's transition from social media troublemaker to sentimental filmmaker marks a significant career pivot.
A Sentimental Turn in 'Club Kid'
In "Club Kid," Firstman writes, directs and stars as Peter, a queer party promoter exhausted after ten years of late nights and club drugs. The narrative shifts when a child named Arlo, played by Reggie Absolom, arrives claiming Peter fathered him. Despite opening with a hallucinatory whirl of casual sex and substance use, the film takes what critics describe as a nakedly sentimental turn, forcing its protagonist toward maturity.
Life Imitating Art at the After-Party
The Indochine gathering mirrored the film's club atmosphere, with attendees including "party boys and party girls, daddies and dolls." One guest approached Firstman asking if he could get friends on the list, prompting the filmmaker to note the life-imitating-art moment. The morning after, Firstman appeared fresh in corduroy pants and a brown sweater, sipping a latte and noting he had consumed only two drinks — a contrast to his on-screen counterpart's "Ketamine Barbie" lifestyle.
