SCAB VENDOR: THE LIFE AND TIMES JONATHAN SHAW

UK PREMIERE

Scab Vendor is a documentary exploring the extraordinary life of Jonathan Shaw. Born into privilege as the son of jazz bandleader Artie Shaw and Hollywood actress Doris Dowling, Jonathan’s youth was marked by rebellion against his glamorous lineage and his mother’s alcoholism.

After a near-fatal heroin overdose in his 20s, Shaw embarked on a transformative journey: hitchhiking from Los Angeles to Rio de Janeiro, honing his craft under legendary old-school tattoo masters, and ultimately redefining tattoo culture.

In 1993, he opened Fun City Tattoo in New York — four years before tattooing was even legal in Manhattan. The studio quickly became a cultural hub, drawing in friends and icons like Johnny Depp, filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, and punk legend Iggy Pop.

Mariana Thome and Lucas Barros |US| 2024| 90 mins