“You Hurt My Feelings” NY Premiere at reRun

When I first started Rooftop Films in 1997, it was one night of short films, made almost entirely by friends of mine. But we announced (through word of mouth, and hand-written flyers handed out that day in a concert in the park) that there would be an open projector session at the end of the program. 300 people showed up to watch the films that night, but only one brought a 16mm print with him: Stephen Collins, and his short “The Plumber.” I never would’ve imagined that Rooftop would still be around 16 years later, but I’m not surprised that the talented, unique and quietly prolific Steve Collins is still making films.

We’ve shown movies he’s made in just about every year of Rooftop’s existence, including the world premiere of his debut feature “Gretchen,” and are thrilled to see that his new feature, “You Hurt My Feelings” will be getting a theatrical release at Brooklyn’s beloved ReRun Theater. Steve’s films feature a quiet and bizarre sensibility, realistic but off-kilter. They focus on sad and lonely characters, but ache with strange humor. “You Hurt My Feelings” may be Steve’s most personal film, starring long-time Collins’ collaborators, the inimitable John Merriman and Courtney Davis, plus newcomers Lillian and Violet Collins (the director’s adorable toddler kids) and telling a poignant story of family and outsiders.

Steve has written some lovely things about the film here , on the site’s “Press” page.

The film was a New York Times “Critic’s Pick,” so it’s not just Rooftop who loves Steve’s work. In a beautiful review, Jeannette Catsoulis wrote:

“I worry about “You Hurt My Feelings,” a film you want to wrap your arms around and shelter from a ruthless marketplace. Like something that David Gordon Green might have made before being seduced by more generously financed projects, this fragile sophomore feature, written and directed by Steve Collins, reminds us that watching movies matters much more than listening to them.”

Wrap your arms around Steve’s film at ReRun this week!