'' The Royal Road '' is a 2015 documentary film directed by Jenni Olson . The film premiered in the New Frontier section of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival . In the film 's voiceover , Olson reflects on her butch identity and experiences of unrequited love . The film went on to earn the award for Best LGBTQ Film at the 2015 Ann Arbor Film Festival . Consisting entirely of 16 mm urban landscape shots and a lyrical stream of consciousness voiceover , the film touches on a wide range of topics from reflections on classic Hollywood film to the history of the Spanish colonization of California and the Mexican American War . A voiceover cameo appearance by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner serves as the centerpiece for the film 's focal point segment entitled , " In Defense of Nostalgia . " Olson cited '' Sherman 's March '' and Alfred Hitchcock 's '' Vertigo '' as influences . San Francisco Film Society was the film 's fiscal sponsor . The film had its Bay Area premiere on April 29 , 2015 at the SFFS 's San Francisco International Film Festival . Olson also crowdfunded $ 24,038 towards the production of the film . Olson 's wife , Julie Dorf , produced the film
2015 Sundance Film Festival
2015 Sundance Film Festival
The Royal Road