Eleven Minutes

Here's something new and different: a reality TV star worth rooting for—Jay McCarroll, the young clothes designer who was Project Runway's first winner in 2004. Documentary producer-directors Michael Selditch and Rob Tate catch up with McCarroll two years later in New York, where the pressure mounts as he preps for Fashion Week and the unveiling of his first independent collection. McCarroll's celebrity has opened a few doors, but it's a double-edged sword—basically, if he doesn't produce, he'll be labeled a failure. Eleven Minutes follows this effort from its inception to the September show, where McCarroll's models wear about 30 “looks” and 70-some pieces. It's an interesting ride and “a lot of work for eleven minutes,” which is about how long the presentation will last. Lots of folks help, but McCarroll is involved in every detail, from casting the models to choosing the wigs, shoes, and jewelry they'll wear, and even designing and delivering the invitations. Problems, delays, disagreements, and freak-outs crop up, but McCarroll remains mostly calm and drama-free, never losing his self-deprecating sense of humor (“Who the fuck would wear some of this stuff?” he asks at one point). Recommended. (S. Graham)