Ace in the Hole is a documentary directed and produced by Yasmin Mawaz-Khan that explores the significance of fringe communities in our society through the lens of Ace Junkyard and its eccentric owner, Bill “the Junkman” Kennedy.
Bill ran his father’s auto dismantling business in the Bayview district of San Francisco for ten years, until an artist walked through the gates and changed everything. Over the next fifteen years, with Bill at the helm, Ace Junkyard became an incubator space for creativity, innovation, and culture.
Ace in the Hole hosted a rough cut screening in Fall 2021.
“Greetings from the Ace in the Hole team. Are you passionate about the survival of the artistic, creative and maker communities in the Bay Area? Do you think it is a valuable commodity that is worth saving? Do you agree that our society gains a tremendous amount from those of us who create, curate and produce works of art and performance? Then Ace in the Hole has a lot in common with you.
Our team is creating a documentary film that describes these communities and explores the value of fringe creative communities. It also takes a look at what happens when they are displaced by economic development.
Discovery, creativity, and personal expression are critical components of a healthy society. We can not thrive as a culture, if we do not find a way to understand, embrace and support those members of our society who don’t fit into the mold created by the traditional art world. Ace in the hole makes a compelling case for this new way of seeing, and shows us why it is so important for communities to make space for, and to support spaces for creativity and community to thrive.”