Tig

The American stand-up comic Mathilde “Tig” Notaro has short hair, boyish clothes and an irresistible sense of humor. She shot to fame after a show in which talked about her breast cancer. She had only just gotten the diagnosis and had barely prepared her jokes, but she quickly garnered acclaim from all over the country, for her sincerity and sense of fun when tackling the subject of disease and death. Fans include comedians Louis C.K. and Sarah Silverman. Speaking on camera just as honestly and mockingly as she does onstage, Notaro discusses her overnight success, her illness, the death of her mother and her desire for children – a wish made more complex by the fact that pregnancy would heighten the risk of the cancer’s return. The camera also films her Skype conversation with a possible surrogate mother. Some of Notaro’s anecdotes are supplemented with earlier audio recordings, voicemails and on-screen tweets and texts. They all contribute to a complete and intimate portrait of a woman who, despite some bizarre misfortunes, is continuing to do what she does best: be herself. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)