Spirit of Independence Film Presents My Own Private Idaho

The road stretches endlessly ahead. Home is always somewhere else.

Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho is a dreamlike, deeply moving road movie — a coming-of-age drama, queer landmark, and modern Shakespearean tale that drifts between the streets of Portland, the highways of the American Northwest, and the search for identity, belonging, and love.

Mike Waters, a young hustler living with narcolepsy, embarks on a journey to find the mother who abandoned him as a child. Alongside his closest friend, Scott Favor, the rebellious son of a wealthy mayor, the pair travel across America and beyond, encountering unforgettable characters while confronting the realities of friendship, desire, and the uncertainty of the future.

Released in 1991, My Own Private Idaho remains one of the defining independent films of its era. Inspired in part by Shakespeare’s Henry IV and Henry V, Gus Van Sant blends poetic imagery with raw emotional honesty to create a film unlike any other. Anchored by unforgettable performances from River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves, it stands as a poignant exploration of youth, vulnerability, and the longing to find a place in the world.

Alongside the main feature, the evening will include a selection of special extras to complete the full cinematic experience.

Before the film, we’ll be screening a specially selected short from the Spirit of Independence archives, this months screening will be ‘In Another Life’ by Sheffield filmmaker Aaran McKenzie - In the aftermath of a broken relationship, a couple confront unresolved emotions during one final conversation, discovering that sometimes love isn’t enough to keep two people together.

We’ll also be presenting a curated reel of trailers celebrating the spirit of American independent cinema that reshaped filmmaking in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

And as an added bonus for the night, all attendees will be entered into a free raffle, with a chance to win a film-related prize.