Entries tagged with “Rooftop Filmmakers” from Rooftop Films Blog

ROOFTOP FILMS and VERIZON FIOS present 

Short films and video about moments in time, capturing and imagining what it felt like to be there. 

OPEN BAR AFTER PARTY FOLLOWING THE SCREENING FOR ALL IN ATTENDANCE

   

Venue: On the lawn of Automotive High School Address: 50 Bedford Ave. @ North 13th St. (Williamsburg, Brooklyn) 

Directions: L to Bedford Ave. or G to Nassau Ave. 

Rain: In the event of rain the show will be held indoors at the same location 

8:00PM: Doors open 

8:30PM: Live music presented by Sound Fix Records 

9:00PM: Films 

10:30PM: Filmmaker Q & A 

11:30PM-1:00AM: After-party: Open Bar at Matchless (557 Manhattan Ave. @ Driggs) Courtesy of Radeberger Pilsner

Tickets: $9 at the door or online

Presented in partnership with: Cinereach, New York magazine, City Council Member David Yassky & Automotive High School

Every year Rooftop hosts a program of Home Movies--discovering the forgotten, unmediated moments of people's lives, unfiltered and as they live them. The films reveal textures, patterns, feelings that might go unnoticed, fleeting incidents that would otherwise pass without thought, but when captured on film or video provide an insight into the lives captured, or those recording.

This year's program includes a wide range of techniques and storytelling strategies, displaying the varied forms that biographical documentary (and pseudo-documentary) can take. Filmmakers parse through mysteriously painful childhood memories (Bloomfield or a Childhood Memory; My Rabbit Hoppy); trace their family history (Ten for Grandpa); work through their issues relating to failed romances and short-lived affairs (Men With Girlfriends Later; I Slept With a Cookie Monster); and capture the fleeting impact of politics on the moments of their lives (Hotel Diaries). The details change and the narrative devices are diverse, but the goal of each film remains the same: to express through film or video what happened in that moment, what it meant to the filmmaker, what it felt like to be there.

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Rooftop Films and WNYC's The Brian Lehrer show are proud to share a similar ethos: we love New York, baseball, arts, bicycling, and political issues explored through personal stories. We both value populist media, made by, reported on and respecting the views of everyday people and experts alike. Here at Rooftop, we have a tremendous respect for Brian Lehrer's journalism, and are thrilled to be collaborating with his show on a new crowdsourcing-style reporting contest. 

The contest asks people to tell us your story, or report on what you see, for an online project that includes your local stories of economic activity in the New York City area--jobs lost or found, stores opening or closing, good deals on rent, whatever you find. The Brian Lehrer Show (and now Rooftop Films) want to tell this complex story with the help of your calls, photographs, video and writing. What matters is that we get YOUR stories about the economy from the places you are familiar with.

We will choose submissions to air on the show each week so our listeners can hear what you have noticed as well. Videos will be online, and finalists will receive a WNYC gift bag and an appearance before a live audience to screen the winning video with Brian Lehrer in the new Jerome L. Greene performance space. 

The grand prize winner will receive a screening at Rooftop Films.

INSTRUCTIONS
As you plan your video, consider our Uncommon Economic Indicator categories: housing, employment, behavior, commerce, swindlers or bright spots. On the submission form, enter your name and email (in case we need to contact you), assign a category and add a title. Because your submission can appear on our map, make a note of where you shoot and enter the address. After you upload your video to YouTube (never did that? get help here) an icon will appear on our map. Click there to see your video, or you may also view it as an entry in our Your Uncommon Economic Indicators 2009 Video Contest.

Contest Period: The Brian Lehrer Show's Uncommon Economic Indicators video contest begins at 10:00:01 a.m. Eastern Time on May 26, 2009 and ends at 11:59:59 a.m. ET on June 21, 2009.

Prize: The winning video will be screened this summer by Rooftop Films. Finalists will receive a WNYC gift bag and an appearance before a live audience to screen the winning video with Brian Lehrer in the new Jerome L. Greene performance space.

Requirements: Add your YouTube video to the WNYC Group, complete the contact information form and enter the video URL on Your Uncommon Economic Indicators.

Your video should be no longer than one-minute and should show your take on an Uncommon Economic Indicator. You get extra points during the judging if one of these 6 category icons from our project appears somewhere in your shot:

+ Behavior--Piggy Bank
+ Bright Spots--Sunshine
+ Commerce--Bank
+ Employment--Handshake
+ Housing--A white house
+ Swindlers--Skull & Crossbones

Tips: What Makes a Better Video?

+ A steady hand. If you don't have a tri-pod, do all you can to support your arm (keep it close to your body, support with other hand, short takes).
+ Lighting matters! If you don't have good light, find some or shoot at a different time.
+ Sound matters! Be aware of the mic on your camera and be sure to get close if you conduct an interview.
+ Have fun!

Please keep your video under one minute. Don't forget a title!

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U.S. Premiere! 

Prosecuted as a rebel. Banned as a priest. Committed as an artist. Loved as a father.

An inspiring and important documentary co-funded by Rooftop Films.

Venue: On the roof of the Old American Can Factory 

Address: 232 3rd St. @ 3rd Ave. (Gowanus/ Park Slope, Brooklyn) 

Directions: F/G to Carroll St. or M/R to Union Ave. 

Rain: In the event of rain the show will be held indoors at the same location 

5:00PM: Panel discussion: "Message Vs. Craft," outside in courtyard 

6:30PM: Panel discussion: "Filmmaking Strategy," outside in courtyard 

7:30-9:00PM: Reception in the courtyard including free sangria courtesy of Carlo Rossi 

8:30PM: Live music presented by Sound Fix Records 

9:00PM: Film + Filmmaker Q & A

Tickets: $9-$25 at the door or online 

Presented in partnership with: Cinereach, New York magazine, IndiePix, Shooting People & XØ Projects.

PROGRAM NOTE & DETAILS

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Now decades later, Wuytack returns to Venezuela as a working-class and artistic hero in this gorgeous and inspiring film. Featuring exciting material from his days an activist and touching footage from his return, the film has won numerous awards at European film festivals and competitions. Be the first to see it in the US! 

Before the show, Rooftop's Danielle Kourtesis and Julia Friedman discussed the film with Cory. Here's the scoop: 

ROOFTOP FILMS: Give a brief description of your film for those who haven't seen it yet.

CORY MCABEE: Stingray Sam is a musical sci-fi western. It's written and designed for screens of all sizes.

RF: The film references the classic good guy/bad guy dichotomy. What about this dynamic interests you?

CM: I was using classic Americana themes while drawing on today's modern American environment as a landscape. It's obvious who the heroes are and who the villain is, but at the same time my good guys are violent thieves and ex-convicts while my bad guy is sheltered and immature.

RF: The film has an underlying feminist commentary. With the future of genetic engineering and cloning, is it possible that we'll encounter "powerful, upper-class" men who will simply want to reproduce themselves? Just how sexist is our society?

CM: The upper-class has always wanted to reproduce itself. That's why it's a strict tradition in some countries to marry within ones own class. In the US we are much more sly when it comes to drawing such lines, but we do draw them. As to how sexist our society is that would depend on what you would use as a gauge. If you compare us to some countries we're doing pretty good. If you try to figure it out by looking at the publicized issues of modern American feminists, then you're looking at the upper class again. The focus is usually on female executives competing for money with male executives. You never hear about the single mothers working in diners without any benefits or struggling on welfare so they can raise their own kids. Looking at how we treat poor women is the best way to gauge how sexist our society is.

RF: In the late 1940's, 50's, and 60's, the genres of musical and western existed simultaneously, then both faded out. Why revive both, and why, using both a historical and cinematic perspective, combine the genres into one movie?

CM: I like musicals, with the exception of most of them. I think it's a genre that can still be explored. Westerns tend to reflect the styles and ideas of when they are made. The trend of the singing cowboy was huge in its day. There were a lot of them, but it's not part of today's collective conscious. It was the product of what we now view as a naïve America. The whole idea of a singing cowboy fits perfectly into what I was trying to do.

RF: Like other science-fiction comedies, Stingray Sam uses humor to examine current social and scientific topics and comments on what society might look like if the technology ran amok. Do you feel that technology such as cloning and genetic engineering represent a threat to future society?

CM: I'm pretty sure that some of their uses will.

RF: Are you a full-time filmmaker? If not, what else are you up to?

CM: Right now I'm scheduling Stingray Sam at festivals and accompanying it whenever I can. We're also setting up an online store for all of our past film and music releases. We have a lot of new music that we plan to release as well.

RF: What is your next project?

CM: I'm hoping my next film will be one that I've written and storyboarded called Werewolf Hunters of the Midwest. I also have a couple other screenplays. I'll have to wait and see what happens.

Come see more hilarious and strange films like this at Rooftop! 

Learn more about the Levy's feature-length documentary, which will have its official New York premiere later this year, at www.strongmanfilm.com

Rooftop Films
& Court 13 present
"Glory at Sea!"
As a fundraiser for injured director Benh Zeitlin

Sat., April 26, 10:30pm
Walter Reade Theater
at Lincoln Center, NYC

SOLD OUT!
We raised over $5,000!

"Glory at Sea!" will be screening at Rooftop Films' 2008 Summer Series on June 12. So if you haven't already, join our email list (left) to receive updates about the schedule.

Tremendous thanks to everyone who bought tickets!



If you can't make it to the screening, you can still support the cause by going to www.court13.com and clicking DONATE.

* * *

In 2005, the Rooftop Filmmakers' Fund awarded a grant to Benh Zeitlin and Court 13 Pictures for their 25-minute film "Glory at Sea," an inspiring and astonishing epic re-telling of the Orpheus myth, set in post-Katrina New Orleans. You can read about the film here.

Unfortunately, while on the way to the premiere of the film at SXSW, a driver (without car insurance) rear-ended the vehicle Benh was in, putting Benh in bed for the next several months with a dislocated hip, a shattered pelvis and two sprained ankles.

Not having health insurance at the time of the accident, Benh and the future of Court 13 are in dire financial trouble, and we are reaching out to the community for financial support. All proceeds from this fundraiser will go toward the arduous and expensive process of getting Benh walking, and soon charging toward making another epic down in New Orleans, this time a feature film.

On Saturday, April 26, we will host the New York Premiere of this amazing film, and also screen the world premiere of Benh's adorable short film, "I Get Wet." Tickets are pay what you can at a set, sliding scale (there's no difference in seating or other options, you just choose to donate more or less). If you would like to make a larger donation, or if you can't make it, but would like to donate, please visit www.court13.com and click DONATE.

If you want to support the cause but do NOT plan to attend, please do NOT buy a ticket. Make a donation through the link above so we can save that seat for someone who can come.

"GLORY AT SEA" Fundraiser
Saturday, April 26, 10:30pm
at The Walter Reade Theater
at Lincoln Center
North side of West 65th St.,
btwn. Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues, one flight up on the upper level.
Buy Tickets -- SOLD OUT!

And don't just take our word for it that the film is amazing. It won the Wholphin Award for best short film at SXSW, and the following people have all written glowingly about it:

+ Michael Tully at Hammer to Nail & IndieWire
+ Spencer Parsons at Austin Chronicle
+ David Lowery at Spout Blog

Come see an amazing film, and help an artist in need!

New York Underground Film Festival
April 2-8, 2008
@ Anthology Film Archives
www.nyuff.com
Tickets

March 27 @ 9:45pm
Selections from the 2007 NYUFF
@ IFC Center
Tickets



The New York Underground Film Festival, a venerable anti-establishmentarian institution, the godfather of all "Underground" film festivals, will be hosting its 15th and Final installation in April, and then doing what any good punk rocker should do: dying young and . . . re-establishing itself as year-round programming consortium called "Migrating Forms."

The NYUFF has always been a haven for strange and beautiful, shocking and revealing avant garde cinema, and is definitely a big inspiration for Rooftop. I'll certainly be out for many screenings, including films by the following Rooftop alums: Jim Finn, Jacqueline Goss, Patrick Jolley, Jeanne Liotta, Jennifer Matotek, Seth Price, Robert Todd, Keith Wilson, Bryan Boyce, Lyn Elliot, Kent Lambert, Darrin Martin, Eileen Maxson, Kelly Oliver, Keary Rosen, Shelly Silver, Jim Trainor, Cory Arcangel, Skizz Cyzyk, Joe Nanashe, Moira Tierney, and Aaron Valdez (film pictured).

Check back here to the Rooftop Films blog for some write-ups and reviews of films, and I hope to see you there!

A quick update in the ongoing saga of Benh Zeitlin and "Glory at Sea!" You can read the backstory here, here, and here. Very nice posts were also written by The Austin Chronicle, Slamdance, and Spout.

As I wrote earlier, Benh was unable to make it to very much at the festival, because of his car accident. But he did make it to the final screening of his film, and told me "I started weeping about 10 minutes into the film and didn't really stop, barely managed to answer any questions afterwards so the crew came up and filled in for me. It was a real release, a great feeling of closure on all this insanity and trauma."

Benh is now back in New York, and would still love it if any SXSW filmmakers wanted to send DVDs of their films for him to see, because he wasn't able to make the rounds at the festival. Please address them to:

Benh Zeitlin
43 South Calumet
Hastings NY 10706

News about Benh's insurance needs and a possible benefit screening are still to come. Stay tuned here.

Late last night, after jumping from IFC's My Morning Jacket / Yo La Tengo concert to the wide-open SXSW Closing Night party and finally onto Joel Heller's birthday, I wound up at the Magnolia diner, eating scrambled eggs and discussing scrambled documentaries. I was there with Dan Nuxoll from Rooftop, Joel, and Alex Karpovsky and Eric Bruggermann, the director and editor, respectively, of "The Hole Story" and 2008 SXSW selection "Woodpecker."

I brought up the fascinating dialogue about the distinctions of fiction and non-fiction filmmaking that I had heard surrounding some of the films here at SXSW, including Alex's film(s), Daniel Stamm's "A Necessary Death," and even films as different as Nanette Burstein's "American Teen," Morgan Spurlock's "Where in the World is Osama bin Laden?" and Josh Safdie's "The Pleasure of Being Robbed," where categorical definitions would appear pretty straightforward. We'd heard a rumor that when "A Necessary Death" played one European festival, it was in the documentary section, and the crowd was incensed.

Why is it that people get so mad about films that blur these distinctions or even deliberately mislead the audience? Do these distinctions matter? And if so, how should we be defining these films?

[To read this entire article, please click here.]

Like the film itself, this story has (in its own way) a happy ending. As you probably read in my other posts below, Benh Zeitlin--the director of "Glory at Sea," a miraculous short film that Rooftop co-funded--was in a brutal car accident the day of his first screening at SXSW. He's doing much better now, with his metal hip, painkillers, and tremendous set of friends and supporters. Contrary to a popular rumor, the infamous welder-turned-actor who plays Sergeant Major in the film, Jimmy Lee Moore, did NOT perform Benh's operation.

Although Benh wasn't able to attend the first two screenings of his film, he may actually be able to get to the Friday March 14 show at 2:30pm (so go join him if you can for what promises to be a very emotional screening). And so, laid up in a hospital bed, the festival has come to him.

Many filmmakers sent along copies of their films so Benh could watch them in his hospital bed (holding his laptop inches from his face as he awaits new eyeglasses to replace the ones lost in the car). Many more people cheered on the film and sent their well wishes. I know Benh would like to pass on his thanks to all of you.

And last night, "Glory at Sea" took home the SXSW Wolphin Award for Best Short Film.

Brent Hoff and Emily Doe from Wholphin, the excellent DVD magazine that is part of the beneficient McSweeney's empire, presented the award to "Glory" producers Josh Penn, Dan Janvey, and Par Parekh. Fittingly for such a funky, underwater film, and for a DVD zine named for a cross between a whale and a dolphin, the award itself was a pinky-sized vial containing a tiny squid, found some 6,000 feet beneath the sea by an official Wolphin oceanographer.

Immediately following the awards ceremony, I went with about 20 people to visit Benh and celebrate. He was moved and delighted and proud, and really loving the symbolism of this tiny dead creature pulled from the depths of the sea.

Facts about the accident, car insurance and medical bills are still sketchy, but plans for celebration / benefit screenings in Austin and New York are in the works.

A few days ago, I posted below about "Glory at Sea!" a short film directed by Benh Zeitlin of Court 13 Productions. It's a movie that Rooftop Films partially funded, and which is an amazing, uplifting, collaborative project, a mythical narrative about a community (set in post-Katrina New Orleans) coming together to build a raft to join their loved ones after a fatal flood.  

Please take a moment to read what I wrote when I attended the cast and crew screening in New Orleans last week:

www.rooftopfilms.com/blog/2008/03/bleeding-rust-glory-at-sea-in.html

On the way to his SXSW premiere, Benh's car was rear-ended at a stoplight. Benh has shattered his hip and broken his pelvis. Three other people in the car with him also had minor injuries. Benh was in surgery all day, and it appears that he will recover. I visited him in the hospital and his spirits are remarkably high, but he's facing a long, painful, expensive recovery process. And he could use your help.

There are a few things you could do, if you're a friend, a supporter, a SXSW filmmaker.

+ SEE THE FILM!
+ SIGN THE FILM GUESTBOOK
+ SEND A DVD OF YOUR FILM
+ DONATE TO HELP COVER HIS MEDICAL EXPENSES


SEE THE FILM
I was hyping this film long before Benh's accident, but now more than ever go see his truly inspiring and uplifting film. Michael Tully, who writes for IndieWire and Hammer to Nail, saw the film and said he wanted to stand up and shout hallelujah. You'll feel the same, and the rest of the cast and crew will really appreciate your support. "Glory at Sea!" screens:

Shorts Program 3
Tuesday, March 11, 12pm, Alamo Lamar 2
& Friday, March 14, 2:30pm, Alamo Lamar 2  

There are so many amazing, inspiring films here at SXSW, and this is such a supportive community, I have no doubt that the outpouring of kindness will be tremendous.  


SIGN THE GUESTBOOK
We'll have a guest book at the screening so that Benh can receive some of the feedback he'll be missing by not being there. Please take a moment to tell him your thoughts about the film.

If you already saw the film, or can't make a screening, you can also send an email to Benh at <benh AT court13 DOT com>.


SEND YOUR FILM
One of the unfortunate results of this accident is that Benh, who has made such a beautifully collaborative project, is sadly missing the festival experience here at SXSW. (The SXSW staff has been very supportive, but of course there's nothing to be done to get him out of the hospital right now.) He would love to see films and meet people. On top of that, he's going to be laid up in a hospital bed with no entertainment for some time.

We're asking that SXSW filmmakers please donate a DVD of your film to Benh.

We understand of course that some of you may not be comfortable having DVDs of your film floating around at this time, so if you can't lend a DVD, that's okay. But if you don't mind passing on a copy of the film to a trusted filmmaker, it would be a sweet gesture. You can drop off your film:

Convention Center
(near the screening room)
Tuesday, March 11, 4-6pm

I along with some of the crew from the film will be hanging out at at a table, so drop by and donate a DVD to Benh. (We'll try to set up a small sign. Otherwise look for me, a guy with a shaved head. And I'll wear a colorful tie.) Other forms of entertainment, support, get well cards, etc., are also welcome. If you can't come then, drop me a line at mark AT rooftopfilms DOT com and we'll try to arrange something else.


DONATE
Benh does not have health insurance and is facing tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills and lost income while he's laid up. It may be that the car insurance will cover his expenses, but unfortunately, it's not clear if that's the case (issues surrounding the driver of the other vehicle are sketchy). I will keep you posted if and when financial support becomes necessary (and promise not to send a glut of emails). You can check www.rooftopfilms.com/blog and www.court13.com for updates.

I know that Rooftop, SXSW and others are also discussing benefit screenings, so stay tuned.  

Thank you all in advance for your support. I know that Court 13 and Rooftop Films and SXSW have a really strong community here and that we'll be able to support a filmmaker and a friend in need.

The pleasure of "The Pleasure of Being Robbed" is the joy of discovering a bag full of kittens (and watching them playfully flip through the air); the bliss of an unexpected overnight road trip with a friend; the warmth of a frolic with a polar bear. Josh Safdie's film is filled with a carefree awkwardness, a lightness of touch with melancholy and humor, and a whole host of unexpected stolen delights. I am a big fan of Josh's short film "The Back of Her Head," which we screened at Rooftop in August of 2007, and his debut feature carries the emotions, ideas and spirit of his short films to a brilliant pinnacle.

The film follows a young lady as she drifts through life with the naïve charm of curious puppy, who takes whatever she wants, and with the detachment of an adorable kitten, who cares not a fig what you think of her. But Eleonore is neither greedy nor simple. She is constantly stealing, but does so exuding a joy in sharing objects, stories, lives. She steals with a hug, with a shared joke, with a helping hand. The real world does intrude on her beatific kleptomania, and one doesn't get the sense that people do always understand and appreciate what she does, but as the description of the film says, the people from whom she steals "owe her their thanks."

Certainly we all owe a tremendous thanks to Safdie, actress Eleonore Hendricks, and the entire crew of the utterly dazzling Red Bucket Films team for creating this magical piece of cinema.

Amazingly, the film itself was somewhat stolen. The filmmakers had been commissioned to make a commercial, but instead used the money to make this gorgeous film, reminiscent of the best of the free-wheeling late-60s / early-70s American cinema.

When asked at the World Premiere Q & A why Josh was so interested in the idea of stealing, Safdie compared the feeling he got when he would steal as a kid to that of being in love, and being compelled to do irrational, illicit things for your lover. Might the creation of this character be seen as celebrating mental illness, one viewer asked. "Well, if mental illness is doing whatever you want all the time, then yes, I'll celebrate that."

"Glory at Sea!" plays at SXSW in the Shorts 3 program on March 9, 11th and 14th, at the Alamo Lamar Cinemas.

In the guidelines to the Rooftop Filmmakers' Fund--the grants that Rooftop offers to filmmakers whose work has screened with us--we say "We are more likely to fund films that make the most of their resources and community." We don't have the means to fund big-budget films, so we want to help support filmmakers who are clever and collaborative, and show that they uphold the collective ideals of Rooftop Films.

Last night, I was in New Orleans for the cast and crew screening of "Glory at Sea!," a short film which Rooftop co-funded. The movie is based on the myth of Orpheus, and in this version a man who washes to sea aims to sail back to the underwater Hades that has taken his girlfriend. While he builds a raft, the community watches, and becomes interested, and finally rushes to his aid, carrying with them the busted and rusted icons of their lives--all that remains of their husbands and wives, children and parents--strapping to the boat trumpets and bathtubs, charred church crosses and unspooled mix tapes, in the Bayou-inspired voodoo-like belief that these talismans will lead them to their drowned loved ones. The rickety craft sets sail with a song (fitting for Orpheus and Orleans), and the crew finds salvation in sinking.

The film is an irrational fable, a rich and poetic impossibility, and it gains its power from its myth logic. In dream logic, you do something crazy and need to look at the subtext to understand why. But in myth logic, you do something crazy because you have the tenuous belief that it will help. "Glory at Sea!" captures that pathos perfectly: the filmmaking is stirred with music video madness as it strains at the conventions of traditional narrative filmmaking. The film invokes this need for a community to bond--not a logical need, based on survival or chances of success, but an inherent need which transcends logic and gets to the core of who we are as people, as neighbors, as people who need each other in life and in death. In post-Katrina New Orleans, where all everyone has left is water-soaked memories of missing persons, "Glory at Sea!" is the perfect parable.

The director Benh Zeitlin choked up when he welcomed the crowd, saying that "making this film was the greatest experience of my life, and it's thanks to so many of the people in this room, who bled rust for this movie."

There were 300 people there.

300 people in support of a short film!

They volunteered their time. They lent their own heartbreak to the telling. They literally risked their lives riding this home-made raft out onto Lake Pontchartrain. One guy, Jimmy Lee Moore, a local guy who was cast as an actor, ended up doing much of the complicated welding on the boat. I spoke to him after the premiere, and he was beaming with pride. He told me about how the Coast Guard didn't think the craft was sea-worthy, and no one would take responsibility for towing it out onto the water. But they hooked it up a speedboat, and tore the tail off it in the process, because they had no other option, and for days on end the actors and crew were doing things no one in their right mind would do, all for this film. Now Jimmy wants to modify the boat and make it a Mardi Gras float, to represent the film, and New Orleans independent filmmakers, and the spirit of this project.

Benh was originally going to make this mythical film in Greece, but he told me that when he received funding from Rooftop--where the money comes from ticket sales and submission fees, the fans and filmmakers who make up our community--he knew he had to make a populist film, and that it had to be in New Orleans. Seeing not only the power of the film, but the glorious power of the community that made it, I can't express how proud I am, on behalf of all of us at Rooftop Films, to have had a small part in such an inspiring project.



"Glory at Sea!" plays at SXSW in the Shorts 3 program on March 9, 11th and 14th, at the Alamo Lamar Cinemas.

A lot has been written about the South by Southwest Film Festival and their support of the Austin film community and the "Mumblecore" movement. Personally, I love the idea of indie filmmakers bonding, working together, supporting each other. You can say that the importance of the those scenes is blown out of proportion, and that might be true--the community is a bigger and more diverse than Austin and Mumblecore.

A look below at the Rooftop alums who are screening films at SXSW this year shows filmmakers from all around the country, and filmmakers working in a variety of genres and styles. (Racial diversity is another matter, something both Rooftop and SXSW work to address in our programming. Our overlapping lists, unfortunately, don't reflect this diversity). We're proud to see so many filmmakers we like screening at this excellent fest, and we're excited to get a chance to hang out again.

From March 7-12, Rooftop's staff will be down at SXSW, scouting for new films, supporting our alumnae filmmakers, and enjoying the cheap tacos and warm weather with our friends. In town will be Artistic Director Mark Elijah Rosenberg, Program Director Dan Nuxoll and Managing Director Genevieve DeLaurier. If you're in Austin, drop us a line so we can meet up.

sxsw AT rooftopfilms DOT com -- That email will reach all three of us.

At the top of our list here is Benh Zeitlin's "Glory at Sea" (pictured left). Rooftop gave a grant to support this film, so we're particularly proud of it. "Glory at Sea" is a retelling of the classic myth of Orpheus, who descended into Hades to rescue his lover. Originally, the film was going to be made in Greece, but when the Rooftop funding came through, Benh changed his plans. "Part of what drew me toward New Orleans was the populist attitude of my backers.  Imagining being on a roof and having a film that spoke to Americans about America, was something that got my insides moving, that got me realizing that the resurrection I wanted to tell was a story I had to tell in the states, in New Orleans."

The film is stunning, and everyone should go check it out. I'm heading to New Orleans for a cast and crew screening on March 6, and then rumbling over to Texas after what is sure to be a grand night in NOLA. I'll certainly write about those adventures soon.

In the meantime, go see the latest films from these Rooftop alums:

SHORTS
Glory at Sea Director: Benjamin Zeitlin
34 x 25 x 36 Director: Jesse Epstein
Upwards March Director/Writer: Kaveh Nabatian
Fish, But No Cigar Directors: Tara White and Lyn Elliot
Shut Eye Hotel Director/Writer: Bill Plympton
The Rambler Director: Calvin Reeder
LOVEolution Director: John Bryant
Let's Get Down to Brass Tacks Director/Writer: Aaron Katz

FEATURES
Woodpecker Director: Alex Karpovsky.
The Pleasure of Being Robbed Director: Josh Safdie.
Living with the Tudors Directors: Karen Guthrie & Nina Pope.
Intimidad Directors: David Redmon & Ashley Sabin.
Goliath Director: David Zellner.
The Marconi Bros. Director/writers: Marco Ricci, Michael Canzoniero.
The New Year Parade Director/writer: Tom Quinn.
Rainbow Around the Sun Directors: Kevin Ely and Beau Leland.
My Effortless Brilliance Director: Lynn Shelton. Starring: (Rooftop Alum) Calvin Reeder

Here at Rooftop Films, we're thrilled to collaborate with IFC.com to host short films on their website. We've always wanted to put shorts online, and IFC was the perfect platform for the type of creative, unique, daring short films we show, and exposes thousands of new viewers to these distinct movies.

IFC's Media Lab teamed up with Red Bull to create a new web series, and we think they'll come up with some pretty great content. The theme is "After Hours," but they're leaving it pretty open as to what that means to you. Could be late at night, could be after work, could be a universe that operates outside the confines of "hours." One thing they DON'T want is an ad for Red Bull. Make something original, make something cool, make something personal, entertaining and gripping from episode to episode, and you stand a shot. We think the winning entry will be something that will really fit with Rooftop's artistic mission, and that our filmmakers and audience would dig. It's a competition, so I hope all you readers and watchers and filmmakers will enter a chance to get paid to create short films online.

Contest instructions are at www.ifc.com/redbull/

You can enter up till March 31, 2008.

Rooftop alum Casimir Nozkowski has crafted a savvy little promo for the contest all about the nature of internet video. It's a great manifesto. Check it out below.

As I wrote the other day, Rooftop Films and IFP are proud to be working together to support all aspects of independent film--from exhibition all the way back through production. IFP does an admirable job at helping films get made, and have an outstanding track record of bringing fantastic films through their Labs. And when one film is having trouble getting finished, IFP is there to help.

Thursday night IFP (in conjunction with SAGIndie and Time Warner) organized a rough cut screening of "El Coyote," a Mexican Spaghetti Wester/Horror feature now in the final stage of production and preparing for the festival circuit. I thought that Brooklyn-based first time filmmakers Sergio Palacios and Damian Rodriquez have the makings of a really dynamic film.

"El Coyote" is classic revenge story, with a lone former drug runner, thickly bearded and dressed in black, riding back into a tiny Mexican town to kill the honchos who once betrayed him and left him for dead. The film is shot with an eerie distance and a distinctly gritty look, placing the characters as imposing archetypes. An astonishing soundtrack--equal parts Sergio Leonie and heavy metal--fills out the mood and propels the story. The action is, at this point, concise and edgy, and the filmmakers are looking in particular for funds to help create more (low-budget) splatter effects. With references to boarder-crossing drug-running this film has political overtones, but the real thrill of it is the low-budget energy of a badass old-fashioned western.

WATCH A TRAILER.

I think the film has the possibility to do well at indie fests and as a niche release, and could certainly be very successful as a cult classic, particularly if they can tap into the Latino market.

They're looking for investors on a very small scale, so if you're interested, please get in touch with directors Sergio Palacios and Damian Rodriguez at -info@elcoyotethemovie.com-

You can also support the film by buying some of Sergio's wicked art at www.vomitstyle.com. This one to the right is called "They Shot the President."

One of the most beautiful shows Rooftop Films ever hosted was our 2007 edition of Dark 'Toons. The astonishing animator Brent Green showed his films and played live music with Brooklyn locals The Quavers. They are a band whose sound and focus is very much in line with Rooftop--quiet and surprisingly intricate songs about drifting through specific landscapes. I'm a huge fan, and hope to have them back on the roof again.

Vincent Moon on Blogotheque's "Take Away Shows" created a wonderful video with the Quavers playing two songs while floating down the Gowanus Canal (just one block away from Rooftop headquarters). I think it's a fantastic and perfectly executed idea (having Brooklyn indie film legend Jem Cohen piloting the boat adds to the mystique). Watch the video (below) and read the exciting story here.

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THE QUAVERS - Sea Won't Take Long
by lablogotheque

Props to Rooftop's Managing Director Genevieve DeLaurier for digging up this video.

[This is the complete article originally published on March 13, 2008.]

Late last night, after jumping from IFC's My Morning Jacket / Yo La Tengo concert to the wide-open SXSW Closing Night party and finally onto Joel Heller's birthday, I wound up at the Magnolia diner, eating scrambled eggs and discussing scrambled documentaries. I was there with Dan Nuxoll from Rooftop, Joel, and Alex Karpovsky and Eric Bruggermann, the director and editor, respectively, of "The Hole Story" and 2008 SXSW selection "Woodpecker" (pictured left).

I brought up the fascinating dialogue about the distinctions of fiction and non-fiction filmmaking that I had heard surrounding some of the films here at SXSW, including Alex's film(s), Daniel Stamm's "A Necessary Death," and even films as different as Nanette Burstein's "American Teen," Morgan Spurlock's "Where in the World is Osama bin Laden?" and Josh Safdie's "The Pleasure of Being Robbed," where categorical definitions would appear pretty straightforward. We'd heard a rumor that when "A Necessary Death" played one European festival, it was in the documentary section, and the crowd was incensed.

Why is it that people get so mad about films that blur these distinctions or even deliberately mislead the audience? Do these distinctions matter? And if so, how should we be defining these films?

One of the first things we realized is that general audience members, far more than film critics, filmmakers, and film programmers, do question what's "real." You hear in Q & A sessions how important it is to them. And a great number of film professionals also debate (and confuse) these terms and distinctions. So the distinctions do matter. And I think the first reason why they matter, why people want to know if a film is a work of fiction or non-fiction, is because people don't like "being suckered" (as entertainment lawyer and SXSW panelist Alan Levy put it when I was discussing the issue with him). Being suckered is different from being tricked: a murder mystery tricks you, but that's what you want it to do; a fiction film that poses as a non-fiction film (the thinking goes) suckers you. People think that the film is somehow lying to you, which you don't want it to do.

I think this discrepancy comes initially from expectation: when you go to see an action movie, you don't want to find yourself instead watching a quiet drama. When you see certain documentary aesthetics, you expect that what you are seeing is non-fiction. So the second and more important reason why audience members want to know the nature of the film is because of the inherent differences in the way we interact with fiction and non-fiction films. People are more likely to immediately connect emotionally with non-fiction characters because one of the greatest challenges of fiction cinema--effective suspension of disbelief--is alleviated. When a character in a fiction film does something outlandish, an audience member is likely to think, "No one would ever do that." Not so in documentary; you have to assume they really did it. So when you think a film is non-fiction, and it turns out to be scripted, you mistrust your own emotional reading of the film. The same is true in reverse for non-fiction films. Every camera move and edit in a documentary is of course a manipulation of reality, yet people still get hung up on the details of some non-attainable objective truth.

With either fiction or non-fiction, that mental approach to film watching is limiting. We should be able to watch a movie, and analyze our feelings and our thoughts based on the emotions expressed and the ideas addressed, not solely on whether it was "real." I think keeping the lines between fiction and non-fiction blurry is a wise move. Whether the filmmaker writes a story and casts actors to play the characters, or if the filmmaker follows the story of people leading their existing lives, the goals are the same for any film: to entertain the audience, to enlighten them, to take them to emotional highs and lows.

This is where films like Safdie's "The Pleasure of Being Robbed" and Burstein's "American Teen" come in. I thought "American Teen" was entertaining and engaging, but I didn't love the film because of some of the manipulations--jumps in time to enhance the weight of an emotion, moments that are clearly created in the editing room but didn't happen live. My problem isn't the manipulations per se, and I don't doubt the veracity of the basic facts. My problem is that because of those manipulations, I didn't really connect with the characters. I thought the jumps in time simplified complex emotions, and the forged scenes fell flat. When watching either a non-fiction or a fiction film, you understand that this isn't an objective reality, but if the cuts and camera angles fail to create a subjective emotional and intellectual truth, the film has failed.

In contrast, some scenes in Josh Safdie's film are, as he put it, "stolen"--he caught people on the street unawares and wrote them into his narrative. I was impressed by the way he was able to fluidly bring these elements into his rather fantastical story, and from a narrative standpoint, I was touched by the interactions.

Karpovsky's "Woodpecker" is a brilliant example of the way a filmmaker can blend fact and fiction to make an amusing, moving and meaningful film that transcends either documentary or fiction modes. The film is about the true story of the supposed sighting of an Ivory Billed Woodpecker in the bayou of Arkansas. Hundreds of bird watchers descended on the swamps, hoping to confirm the sighting. Alex sets the stage for his film with mostly documentary footage, and provides a sincere and intriguing look into a region transformed and polarized by this funny little bird. We meet ordinary people who were transfixed by the beauty of the bird, and hunters who are displeased that the search for the bird is keeping them from their hunting grounds. There are locals opening tourist shops selling bird trinkets, and taxidermists who claim to be able to manufacture an Ivory Billed in minutes. Into this world, Alex injects Jon e. Hyrnes (pictured below left), an actor who Alex discovered, ironically, when Johnny appeared as the subject of another documentary, "Johnny Berlin." Alex makes the wise point, "Much like the bird itself, "Woodpecker" explores the intersection of fact and fiction, manipulating our notions of documentary and narrative techniques within a tragic comedy about hope, perception, and some very very strange birds."

One of the ingenious cinematic devices in "Woodpecker" is the way Karpovsky has the character he scripted continue to develop a theme first brought up by one of the documentary characters. One of the birdwatchers who (I'm pretty sure) is real, says that the bird's cry is simply the announcement, "I am here." This phrase becomes a core leitmotif for Johnny, the lead in the film, who himself is looking for the bird in order mark to his place in birdwatching history. This lonely guy, who drolly remarks that when his wife left him "she was essentially saying 'I am not here,'" thinks that if he spots the bird he will somehow justify and signify his own existence. He wants to be famous, yes, but only in this obscure realm. His core desire, as he explains in one of his ludicrous but subtly insightful rants, is to be an integral part of the birdwatching community. He wants people to know he is there, to care that he's there, and to enable people to see this bird. So as we watch Johnny mingle with the locals and drift through the swamps, we relate to the community with his specific perspective, this strange but pure and life-affirming connection with the world.

The film raises a lot of issues about environmentalism and hunting, about dying small towns and the pitfalls of media attention, about individual isolation and community, and the way in which the issues are presented through the perspective of an entertaining and astute on-screen character effectively makes them more genuine and resonant than if we were seeing them in a purportedly neutral documentary. "Woodpecker" is a far more potent use of motion pictures than a purely factual news report of the (possible) discovery of the Ivory Billed Woodpecker.

So if blurring the lines between fiction and non-fiction can be useful, how do we define such films? Even though I think audiences shouldn't determine their appreciation of a film by any categories or expectations, I think we need definitions in order to avoid confusion and reach a more universal understanding of these conventions, so that audience members aren't burdened by misconceptions.

There are three essential categories, and a handful of styles within them. All films are fiction, non-fiction or a hybrid. I think one of the core confusions stems from the misleading term "narrative film." Most films, whether based on imagination or fact, are narrative--they are telling a story. Non-fiction films, however, can be told in a variety of styles, which include documentary, verité, and recreation. Conventional "documentary" style would include films in which the camera records events as they unfold in real time, without the director intentionally influencing the action. Documentaries often include elements such as music, titles, and effects that did not appear directly in front of the camera, and interviews, in which the action is perhaps staged with lights, sets, and questions, but what the subject says is not shaped by the filmmaker. In contrast, verité filmmaking does not use any such non-diegetic elements or staged events.

A film like Robinson Devor's "Zoo" (pictured left) is still non-fiction, because the audio and video are all based on facts not imagination, but it is a work of non-fiction not made in a documentary style, because the voices of the subjects were re-recorded by actors, and the images were recreated with actors, lighting, set-decoration, etc. (Throughout this article, I used the terms "documentary" and "narrative" to refer to the style of filmmaking, but not the category of films.) It's interesting to note that Morgan Spurlock's "Where in the World is Osama bin Laden?" is considered a work of non-fiction (by most people), in a documentary style, even though, like "Woodpecker," it contains scripted elements and a "character" who is interacting with real people. The differences between Spurlock's and Karpovsky's films is the way in which the character is presented (Spurlock as himself; Jon e. Hymes as the fictional Johnny Neander), and the essence of the narrative (Spurlock investigating a question; Karpovsky crafting a portrait).

Within hybrid films, the distinctions of style are equally varied, including mockumentaries, faux documentaries, meta-documentaries, and fake home movies. Over lunch at Stubb's BBQ joint, I was discussing the issue with filmmakers Andrew Bujalski and Garrett Savage, and filmmaker plus "Woodpecker" co-producer Dia Sokol, and for Karpovsky's film we settled on the term "faux documentary." Although "Woodpecker" is black comedy, it shouldn't be called a "mockumentary." A "faux documentary" is a film that incorporates fiction and non-fiction, and uses the style and conventions of a doc to tell semi-fictional story. A "mockumentary," in contrast, is completely imaginary, and tends to be making fun of the characters. Further, I think most "mockumentaries" poke fun at documentary form itself, with overly-contrived sit-down interviews and obvious nods to the camera, such as the ubiquitous "don't film this" moments.

In "Woodpecker," by contrast, although one is often laughing at Johnny's naiveté and quirky obsession, he's more like a Don Quixote, the madman on a mission who is lovable and laughable but also honest, noble, and inspiring. The film treats Johnny and all the characters with warmth and respect, so it lacks the spoofing of a mockumentary.

Non-fiction and fiction "meta-documentaries" would include films that explicitly address the essence of documentary form. "Woodpecker" does not, but Karpovsky's "The Hole Story" and "A Necessary Death" both in some ways deal with the nature media and the way the act of filming events inherently affects the action. "Fake home movies," such as the infamous "Blair Witch Project," purport to verité filmmaking conventions in which the on-screen characters are filming their own lives, only the characters and actions are scripted and staged.

So, I hope all my rambling has proved helpful or at least interesting to some. It seemed interesting enough in late-night film festival conversations over eggs migas and pulled pork sandwiches. The next question, I guess, is whether I've accurately documented all that we discussed.

Rooftop Films is more than a film festival--we are a community, and we aim to provide more than just a screening for our filmmakers. Obviously, we want to have their films seen by new, large audiences at our shows, but we also want to help the films be seen elsewhere--at other festivals, on our TV show on Manhattan Neighborhood Network, online at IFC.com, in theaters, even at The Academy Awards. We want to help them distribute their films and earn a living, we want to help them make new films (see news about the Rooftop Filmmakers' Fund awardees below).

Along those lines, we are proud to be partnering with the Independent Feature Project (IFP), one of the country's leading support organizations for independent filmmakers. In September, during IFP's Market, we will be once again screening films from IFP's Labs (and maybe more).

Given the pivotal role that festivals play in launching emerging filmmakers, IFP's Rough Cut Labs are designed to assist in tackling the creative and technical challenges of completing projects before they are submitted to festivals. Led by seasoned independent producers, the Labs help independent filmmakers achieve the full potential of their material prior to industry exposure by providing four days of feedback and advice on the specific technical, creative and post-production issues such as editing, music selection and scoring, festival and press strategy, sales, marketing and distribution.

The program is open to all first-time, narrative & documentary feature filmmakers who have completed the majority of principal photography. As a commitment to diversity, IFP seeks to ensure that at least 50% of participating projects have an inclusive range of races, genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities and physical abilities in key creative positions.

Many Rooftop alums have come out of these Labs, including Todd Rohal ("The Guatemalan Handshake"), Kat Candler ("Roberta Wells"), Alex Karpovsky ("The Hole Story"), Eun-hee Cho ("Spin"), and Rooftop Filmmakers' Fund awardee PJ Raval ("Best Kept Secret"). The advice and support filmmakers receive in these labs is invaluable, and we highly recommend them.

The Documentary Rough Cut Lab (May 6 - 9, 2008) and Narrative Rough Cut Lab (June 10-13, 2008) are held in New York City.
Full criteria and on-line application available at www.ifp.org/labs

If you're applying, tell Milton Tabbot (documentary) and/or Amy Dotson (narrative) that you heard about it from Rooftop Films!

In 11 years, Rooftop has now shown over 1,400 films. Casimir Nozkowski has shown about a dozen, more films than anyone else (or at least the 2nd most; Steve Collins has also shown about that many--statistics from the early days are a little hazy. Historians are arguing over original program note documents now stored at the National Archives.)

One of the reasons Cas is so successful is because he can make a smart, sweet, savvy film with very few resources. His work typifies the Rooftop attitude: a good idea, a simple execution, a unique movie.

His most recent work is a potential New York Non-Fiction candidate, a subtle and fun anthropomorphizing of some bottles on the subway. I'd love to hear what people's thoughts are on this, because I found it alternating touching, inspiring, funny and melancholy.



The song in it is "The Dance Went On Too Long" by The Chief Smiles. Cas writes, "This was not sanctioned by the MTA. Or Snapple. Or many strangers on the subways."

I almost never agree with the Academy Awards, but 3 of the 4 nominees for Best Documentary Short Film played at Rooftop Films in 2007--Freeheld (Directed by Cynthia Wade), Salim Baba (Tim Sternberg) and Sari's Mother (James Longley)--so you know I agreed with those choices.  

I'm thrilled that Brooklyn native Cynthia Wade (below, right) was given the award for her stunning and  powerful film about NJ Police Lieutenant Laurel Hester's (above, right) struggle to have her pension passed on to her domestic partner as Hester was dying of cancer. Hester's strength helped changed this discriminatory policy, and we hope that Wade's film can continue to inspire tolerance and equality.

Rooftop Films has announced the recipients of the 2007-08 Filmmakers' Fund Short Film Grant. See below!

Rooftop Films is more than a film festival--we are a collaborative community of filmmakers, audience, venues and neighborhoods. One of our most innovative programs is The Rooftop Filmmakers' Fund, a slate of grants given to selected filmmakers whose work has screened at the festival. We have a number of grants available:

+ The Rooftop Films & Eastern Effects Equipment Grant.
Rooftop is working with the excellent Brooklyn rental house Eastern Effects to award one feature film a full lighting & grip package. The recipient will be announced in March 2008.

+ The Short Film Grant.
Rooftop earmarks $1 from every ticket sold and from every film submission fee received to give to select new projects which our filmmakers are working on. You can read about past grants here. In 2007-08, Rooftop Films will give out almost $12,000 in cash grants--the most recent recipients are announced below.

+ Rooftop Films will be announcing new grant partnerships and awards in the near future, so stay posted!

2007-08 ROOFTOP FILMMAKERS' FUND RECIPIENTS
(listed alphabetically - read full details here)

+ Heidi Brandenburg & Matt Orzel, "untitled Peruvian Rainforest doc."
+ Bill Brown, "Cumberland."
+ Don Hertzfeldt, "Everything Will Be OK (part 2)."
+ Melanie Shatzky & Brian M. Cassidy, "The Blessing of the Animals."
+ Spencer Parsons, "Chainsaw Found Jesus."


+ Heidi Brandenburg & Matt Orzel, "untitled Peruvian Rainforest documentary."
Heidi and Matt are spending time with the indigenous peoples and watching as their lives are changed by the increasing pace of oil and gas mining, with links to global warming and the world's dependency on oil.
www.yachaywasifilms.co.uk


+ Bill Brown, "Cumberland."
Utilizing his unique and fascinating first-person experimental documentary style, Bill will be reconstructing the lives of the 7 members of the 372 Military Police Company who were convicted of abusing detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.




+ Don Hertzfeldt, "Everything Will Be OK (part 2)."
The 2nd part of Don's Sundance-Award winning film which follows a stick-figure named Bill as he grapples with depression and madness. The new chapter will find Bill struggling with the death of a loved one, the ever-present question of his health, and the apparent unraveling of time.
www.bitterfilms.com



+ Melanie Shatzky & Brian M. Cassidy, "The Blessing of the Animals."
Melanie and Brian's new film will be a "portrait of love, death and devotion, as witnessed on the day of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals."
 www.pigeonprojects.com.



+ Spencer Parsons, "Chainsaw Found Jesus."
Spencer's film is "a melancholy comedy about two fathers, two sons, and the cocaine sale that brings them all together for an everyday adventure."









Read more about the projects at www.rooftopfilms.com/produce.html.

Rooftop Films received a record number of applicants this year, and we are thrilled to see so many of our alumnae filmmakers working on exciting new projects. Good luck to all the filmmakers.

Look for their films at the 2008 Summer Series!