River of Fundament

{{Multiple issues|

{{more citations needed|date=May 2018}}

{{Third-party|date=May 2018}}

}}

{{Infobox film

| name = River of Fundament

| image = river-of-fundament.jpg

| caption = Film poster

| director = {{Plainlist|

• Matthew Barney
• Jonathan Bepler

}}

| producer = {{Plainlist|

• Matthew Barney
• Laurenz Foundation

}}

| writer = Matthew Barney

| based_on = Ancient Evenings by Norman Mailer

| starring = {{plainlist|

• Dave Bald Eagle
• Milford Graves
• John Buffalo Mailer
• Ellen Burstyn
• Maggie Gyllenhaal
• Madyn Greer Coakley
• Paul Giamatti
• Matthew Barney
• Aimee Mullins
• Shara Nova
• Joan La Barbara
• Elaine Stritch
• Debbie Harry

}}

| music = Jonathan Bepler

| cinematography = Peter Streitmann

| studio = Laurenz Foundation

| released = {{Film date|2014|02|12|United States}}

| runtime = 330 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

}}

River of Fundament is a 2014 operatic experimental film written and directed by American contemporary artist and filmmaker Matthew Barney, and co-directed by longtime collaborator Jonathan Bepler. It was produced by Barney and the Laurenz Foundation, and is loosely based on American author Norman Mailer's 1983 novel Ancient Evenings. The film features Barney, Dave Bald Eagle, Milford Graves, John Buffalo Mailer, Ellen Burstyn, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Madyn Greer Coakley, Paul Giamatti, Shara Nova, Joan La Barbara, Elaine Stritch, Debbie Harry and Aimee Mullins.

==Background==

River of Fundament was produced over 2007 to 2012, being the final product of a series of performances that accumulated into becoming the film's narrative. The film follows Norman Mailer (played by three actors over the course of the film) as he travels through three reincarnations, enduring the seven mythological states of his soul, loosely based on his own novel, Ancient Evenings (1983).{{Cite web|url=http://www.riveroffundament.net/rof_synopsis.htm|title=Synopsis|last=Barney|first=Matthew|website=River of Fundament|access-date=May 21, 2018}} Along with the main narrative, it includes other elements from performance, sculpture, and opera. It has been described as a "eulogy for Mailer".{{Cite news|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/09/matthew-barney-river-of-fundament-moca|title=This 6-Hour Film Will Test Your Patience, Thirst, and Expectations for Art|last=Benns|first=Sway|work=Vanity Fair|date=September 16, 2015|access-date=May 21, 2018|language=en}}

The film was released on February 12, 2014 in a limited theatrical release and through exhibitions at museums in several countries.