Mouth Congress

{{Infobox film | name = Mouth Congress | image = | caption = Film poster | director = Paul Bellini Scott Thompson | producer = Josh Levy Robi Levy Scott Thompson | writer = Paul Bellini Scott Thompson | starring = Paul Bellini Scott Thompson | music = Paul Bellini | cinematography = Josh Levy Robi Levy | editing = Paul Bellini | studio = Levy Brothers | distributor = | runtime = 68 minutes | released = {{film date|2021|03|12|KCFF}} | country = Canada | language = English | budget = }} '''''Mouth Congress''''' is a Canadian film directed by Paul Bellini and Scott Thompson, released in 2021.<ref>Norman Wilner, [https://nowtoronto.com/movies/mouth-congress-scott-thompson-paul-bellini-gay-punk-band-documentary "Scott Thompson and Paul Bellini resurrect a gay punk band you’ve never heard of"]. ''Now'', March 2, 2021.</ref> Blending both documentary and fictional elements, the film is a portrait of Mouth Congress, the gay punk band Bellini and Thompson formed concurrently with their rise to fame as members of The Kids in the Hall.

The genesis of the film began in 2011, when Bellini discovered a box of old videotapes of the band’s shows from the 1980s.

The performances, mostly from The Rivoli and other Queen Street clubs, were theatrical, utilizing costumes and comedy segments. One show featured Thompson and Bellini wearing several layers of clothing, and then stripping down gradually as they sang.

In 2012, Thompson and Bellini began filming interviews with the other band members, but the mix of interviews and archival footage left them cold. Then Josh Levy, a friend and filmmaker who had directed ''Hayseed'' (1998) and ''doUlike2watch'' (2002) suggested they perform a reunion concert and use the process of preparing the show as a framework for the documentary.

The performance was taped on February 21st, 2016, at The Rivoli. It featured Rob Rowatt on guitar, Tom King on bass, Steve Keeping on drums, and featured guest comedian Hunter Collins and performer Josh Bentley-Swan. The footage was videotaped by Josh Levy, Robi Levy, and Adam Zivo. The Levy brothers also covered all the rehearsals and songwriting sessions, as well as a costume fitting (featuring a cameo from gay porn star Skyy Knox).

Scott Thompson hired producer Dan Galea to produce a framework segment, featuring Kid in the Hall Kevin McDonald as an uncle telling the story of Mouth Congress to his 8-year-old niece, played by Abigail Nadeau.<ref name="exclaim">Vish Khanna, [https://exclaim.ca/comedy/article/kids_in_the_halls_scott_thompson_and_paul_bellini_try_to_explain_their_mouth_congress_movie_plus_the_scoop_on_the_new_amazon_series "Kids in the Hall's Scott Thompson and Paul Bellini Try to Explain Their 'Mouth Congress' Movie, Plus the Scoop on the New Amazon Series"]. ''Exclaim!'', March 11, 2020.</ref>

Though largely self-financed, the film received over $20,000 in completion funds through a Kickstarter campaign in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hughes |first=Felix |date=August 20, 2025 |title=KITH’s Scott Thompson and Paul Bellini share inside intel on their off-the-radar band |url=https://nextmag.ca/kiths-scott-thompson-and-paul-bellini-share-inside-intel-on-their-off-the-radar-band/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 7, 2026 |work=Next}}</ref>

The film had been scheduled to premiere at the Kingston Canadian Film Festival in 2020,<ref name="exclaim" /> but after the festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, it had its premiere at the 2021 festival.<ref>Barry Hertz, [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/article-full-stream-ahead-finally-canadians-can-watch-framing-britney-spears/ "Full Stream Ahead: Finally, Canadians can watch Framing Britney Spears, plus Kingston’s film fest goes big while you stay home"]. ''The Globe and Mail'', February 24, 2021.</ref>

The ''Mouth Congress'' documentary has since received small screenings at Cinecycle, the Henderson Brew Pub, and most recently at the Ted Rogers Hot Docs Cinema, all in Toronto, as well as receiving screenings in both Brooklyn and Philadelphia.

Currently the film has no distributor.

Concurrently with the film's release, Thompson and Bellini released a three-song single, their first-ever release as Mouth Congress, for the 2021 Record Store Day.<ref name="exclaim" /> They followed up in December with ''Waiting for Henry'', a compilation of recordings from throughout their career.<ref>Calum Slingerland, [https://exclaim.ca/comedy/article/kids_in_the_halls_scott_thompson_and_paul_bellini_detail_mouth_congress_retrospective_album "Kids in the Hall's Scott Thompson and Paul Bellini Detail Mouth Congress Retrospective Album"]. ''Exclaim!'', October 26, 2021.</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb title|5594012}} *[https://www.mouthcongress.com/ Mouth Congress] - Band Homepage *''Mouth Congress'' [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WkxxFTKQ3A documentary trailer on YouTube]

Category:2021 films Category:2021 documentary films Category:2021 LGBTQ-related films Category:Canadian musical documentary films Category:LGBTQ-related musical films Category:Documentary films about musical groups Category:Queercore groups Category:2021 English-language films Category:2021 Canadian films Category:Canadian LGBTQ-related documentary films Category:Documentary films about punk music and musicians Category:English-language documentary films