Artist Uncle Roy Captures the Journey of a Trailblazing Ice Skater Turned Photographer at Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival
Roy Blakey, by the time of his later years, had curated the world’s largest collection of ice show memorabilia, valued at millions of dollars. His involvement in the theatrical ice performance world ran deep, having participated in the renowned Holiday on Ice during the 1950s and ‘60s.
Blakey’s multifaceted life—including his time on ice, his passion for collecting, and his work as a pioneering photographer focusing on male nudes, queer icons, and celebrities—is explored in the new documentary Uncle Roy, directed by his niece, Keri Pickett. The film is set to premiere on Thursday at the esteemed Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in Greece, featured in the Open Horizons section. Pickett, along with producer-editor Dawn Mikkelson and Kickstarter producer Kim Mahling, will be in attendance at the festival to support the film.
Photo by Roy Blakey
“Built on nine decades of professional and personal archives, Uncle Roy follows the extraordinary life of globe-traveling skater turned photographer Roy Blakey,” a synopsis states. “Born in Oklahoma in 1930, Roy dreamed of performing on ice. He began collecting figure skating programs and photographs, building a collection of 44,000 items over his lifetime, including posters, costumes, and more. This passion led him to a career in theatrical skating, performing globally with Holiday on Ice before becoming a photographer in New York.”
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Pickett only became close with her uncle after relocating to New York City as an adult, both chasing careers in photography. Their relationship flourished, culminating in Pickett serving as Blakey’s caregiver as he faced symptoms of dementia.
Director Keri Pickett
“Roy Blakey inspired me in countless ways. As a photographer, filmmaker, and independent artist, I learned how to see the world by watching him,” Pickett remarked. “The film aligns with a lineage of intimate American independent documentaries—works that center family, memory, and care.”
Pickett noted, “Roy directly inspired my first feature, The Fabulous Ice Age (2014, Netflix), focused on a century of ice performances and his efforts to save its history. I initially hoped chronicling this history with Roy’s archive would suffice to secure a permanent home for his collection. When that fell through, I continued filming.”
“The urgency of preserving Roy’s legacy intensified as he faced dementia, and I became his 24/7 caregiver. Focusing on elder care and end-of-life issues is central to my career, but with Uncle Roy, I reveal my heart in an unprecedented way, intimately documenting our final years together,” Pickett added.
Alongside its premiere on Thursday, Uncle Roy will screen once more on Friday at the Makedonikon. The film intertwines rich archival footage, personal interviews, and stories from the 93-year-old Blakey as he navigates memory loss, creating what the Thessaloniki festival describes as “a rhythmic, tender, lovable, and unapologetically queer portrait of the man and artist who shaped her own journey.”
Uncle Roy is produced by Pickett Pictures and Emergence Pictures, with Keri Pickett serving as director and producer and Dawn Mikkelson as producer and editor. The film features cinematography by Pickett, with contributions from Mikkelson and others, and a score composed by Me-Lee Hay. Consulting producers include Marc Smolowitz and Doug Blush, while executive producers comprise B.J. French, Charles W. Leslie, and Rocco Lofaro Buonpane.
A young Keri Pickett with her uncle Roy Blakey in Golden Valley, MN in 1965.
The Film Collaborative is managing worldwide sales for Uncle Roy. “My uncle, Roy Blakey, would be over the moon to know that his story is launching at Thessaloniki,” Pickett reflects. “Roy circled the globe twice as a theatrical skater. He deeply believed in living boldly and fully. ‘If you can see it, you can be it’ wasn’t just a phrase; it was his way of moving through the world.”
