New York magazine sent shockwaves through the literary world when it unmasked “it boy” wunderkind JT LeRoy, whose tough prose about his sordid childhood had captivated icons and luminaries internationally. LeRoy didn’t actually exist. He was dreamed up by 40-year-old former punk rocker and phone sex operator, Laura Albert.

Author: The JT LeRoy Story takes us down the infinitely fascinating rabbit hole of how Laura — like a Cyrano de Bergerac on steroids — breathed not only words, but life, into her avatar for a decade. Albert’s epic and entertaining account plunges us into a glittery world of rock shows, fashion events, and the Cannes red carpet where LeRoy becomes a sensation. As she recounts this astonishing odyssey, Albert also reveals the intricate web spun by irrepressible creative forces within her.

Her extended and layered performance still infuriates many; but for Albert, channeling her brilliant fiction through another identity was the only possible path to self-expression.

Directed by Jeff Feuerzeig.