A Prayer for Nettie

A Prayer for Nettie — Plot

A Prayer For Nettie dramatizes the death of an elderly woman who was Cumming’s photographic model from 1982 to 1993, presenting an improvised series of prayers and memorials for Nettie Harris by people who knew her, and some who did not. In its ambiguous mix of tenderness and aggression, A Prayer For Nettie extends the traditions of the grotesque and the absurd. The fervent prayers of the actors are undermined by indifference, forgetfulness, and the presence of the camera. In the end, comedy turns the tables on piety and remembrance as Nettie looks up from the grave.

• Release date
• January 1, 1995
• Runtime
• 33 min
• Director
• Donigan Cumming

A Prayer for Nettie — Cast

Donigan Cumming Donigan

G

Geoffrey Bates Geoff

G

Gerald Harvey Gerry

N

Nelson Coombs Nelson

J

Joyce Donnison Joyce

N

Nettie Harris Nettie

R

Raymond Beaudoin Raymond

A

Albert Ross Smith Albert