JT LeRoy was a teen prostitute, addicted to heroin and infected with HIV, when a therapist encouraged him to write his life stories. Buoyed by a cadre of celebrities, he published three critically acclaimed books. His death in 2006 left his fans and supporters bewildered, angry, and betrayed. Others saw his fate coming.—Anonymous

The Cult of JT Leroy directed by Marjorie Sturm pierces the heart of this (both figurative and literal) cause celebre. Her film explores the fact and fiction surrounding the rise and fall of JT Leroy, those caught in the elaborate web of artifice and the ultimate real world consequences.