Dash Snow epitomised “live fast, die young”, ascending from New York’s fringe to the major international art scene during his brief existence.

Snow was an iconic figure in 2000s New York art. Born into an influential family, he emerged from a defiant adolescence to capture the Lower East Side through graffiti, photography and mixed media, wrestling with the contradictions of libertinism and privilege. Sadly, this volatile talent – dubbed one of “Warhol’s Children”, alongside hard-partying peers Dan Colen and Ryan McGinley, by New York Magazine – burned out fast: in 2009, Snow died of a heroin overdose.

Having documented her close friend’s exploits and meteoric rise, filmmaker Cheryl Dunn now presents this deeply intimate portrait of a creative life seized with impulsive relish. Also a valentine to Snow’s evanescent downtown demimonde, the film – which previously screened at DOC NYC and CPH:DOX – features vivid archival footage, affectionate stories from Snow’s artist and gallerist pals, and a lively soundtrack that includes songs by LCD Soundsystem, Cat Power and Nick Cave with Grinderman.

“A personal, up-close depiction of the artist’s raw, contagious energy and his troubled life … A celebration of free spirits who are reckless and generous.” – Interview Magazine