The Rooftop Films 2008 Summer Series

Dumped by his best buddy, a successful novelist voyages into the wilderness to track down his old pal, get drunk in the woods, and hunt cougars in this brilliantly understated comedy about bad friendships between good friends.

Venue: On the lawn of Automotive High School
Address: 50 Bedford Ave, between N. 12th and Lorimer (Williamsburg Brooklyn)
Directions: L to Bedford Avenue OR G to Nassau Avenue
Rain: In the event of rain the show will be held indoors at the same location
8:00PM: Doors open
8:30PM: Sound Fix presents live music by Drew and the Medicinal Pen
9:00PM: Films
11:30PM - 1:00AM: Open Bar After Party at Matchless (557 Manhattan Avenue @ Driggs ) Courtesy of Radeberger beer
Tickets: $9 at going.com

Preview: See short films from this and other programs at www.IFC.com
Presented in partnership with: IFC.com, New York magazine, Hint Water, Council Member David Yassky & Automotive HS


All in attendance will receive a complimentary
bottle of Hint Water

PROGRAM NOTES:
My Effortless Brilliance (Lynn Shelton | Washington | 1:19:00)

Sean Nelson (the charismatic lead singer of Harvey Danger) plays Eric Lambert Jones, a critically lauded but self-involved writer who has been unceremoniously left behind by his long-time best friend. In an attempt to piece together the fractured friendship, Eric takes a side trip from his latest book tour to drop in on Dylan, newly settled in the picturesque backwoods of Washington state. An awkward weekend ensues as the two ex-buddies chop wood, match wits and ultimately embark on an impromptu, booze-soaked cougar hunt with Dylan's enigmatic and strangely menacing new friend, Jim (Rooftop alumnus Calvin Reeder).

Writing in collaboration with the film's performers, director Lynn Shelton takes a cinema verite approach to this, her second narrative feature. The approach is similar to that of many strong new independent dramas, as Shelton and her team built the characters and plotline around its stars rather than writing a script and fitting actors into predetermined rolls. But My Effortless Brilliance is much more concise, focused and—most importantly—funny, than even the best of the films it resembles. The performances by Nelson and Harris seem deceptively casual, but beneath the surface a very real tension exists between the two that simmers without ever erupting or exploding into a contrived denouement.

Certainly one of the best films to premiere at 2008’s South By Southwest Film Festival, My Effortless Brilliance is a subtle, brilliant, naturalistic yet wonderfully engaging, charming and often hilarious new drama from the Pacific Northwest. Lean and loose like a vacation in the woods with friends, yet structured and riveting like a finely crafted novella, Lynn Shelton’s film is a joy to watch, a pleasure to consider afterwards, and one of the most surprising films of the year.

Preceded by:
Snake (Becky James | New York | 3:00)
Deceptively playful, Snake is a film about stubbornness in the face of change. The film chronicles a failure to deal with growing up while using its extremely appealing characters and sounds to glorify the obdurate attempt to replace what is lost.

I Shot the Mayor (or Plan B) (Astrid Bussink | Scotland | 6:00)
The plan that wasn't much of a plan. ‘I shot the mayor (or Plan B) is a film about documentary filmmaking. In a search that is as exciting as it is naïve, filmmaker Astrid Bussink finds herself out of luck and ends up being directed by her subject. ‘I shot the mayor (or Plan B)’ is a humorous and personal approach to the delicate matter of finding a subject for your film; you can’t always shoot what you want…