Billy Shakespeare

What if William Shakespeare never existed... until now. Our Modern Bard is caught in a love triangle of confused sexuality, cross dressing, mistaken identity, and bedroom trysts. Does Shakespeare love his lusty best friend, Wilma Hartford, who's also a drag queen, or his lovely long-time girlfriend Anne Hathaway. This battle to understand Shakespeare's true heart is a comic romp. All the while, Shakespeare peddles his screenplays in Hollywood. Renaissance and modern sensibilities clash when an all-male stage version of Macbeth and the misogynistic low-budget film "The Taming of the Shrew" open simultaneously. The combustion makes "The Bard," played by comedic genius Jason D. Johnson, the most controversial screenwriter in Hollywood.

Directed by Deborah Voorhees, Billy Shakespeare leans on a strong ensemble — Jason D. Johnson, Catharine E. Jones, Phillip David Collins — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2014.