Special New York Sneak Preview before Fall 2009 Premiere.
A humorous but heart-wrenching verité documentary about Stanless Steel, the only man in the world who can bend a penny with his fingers, a working class strongman struggling to succeed and survive. Stanless will be in attendance to perform a stunning feat of strength.
OPEN BAR AFTER PARTY FOLLOWING THE SCREENING FOR ALL IN ATTENDANCE
Venue: on the roof of the Brooklyn Tech
Address: 29 Fort Greene Place (Fort Greene, Brooklyn) MAP
8:00PM: Doors open
8:30PM: Sound Fix presents live music by Midnight Masses
9:00PM: Films
11:30PM-1:00AM: After-party: Open Bar at Crunch (691 Fulton St.) Courtesy of Radeberger Pilsner
Tickets: $9-$25
Presented in partnership with: Crunch, Cinereach, New York magazine & Brooklyn Technical High School
No refunds. In the event of rain, the show will be indoors at the same locations. Seating is first come, first served. Physical seats are limited. This means you may not get a chair. You are welcome to bring a blanket and picnic.
MAP | SOUND FIX
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Slamdance.
Director Zach Levy, creator of the world famous “Bush Cards,” will be in attendance for a Q & A.
“An amazing debut...equally funny and tragic while breaking new ground in its approach. Levy’s work is akin to Salesman and Grey Gardens, with a true respect and admiration not only for his subject, but for the documentary form.”
—Ross Kauffman, Academy Award winning director of Born Into Brothels
“There could not be a more brilliant metaphor for the punishing quest to achieve the American Dream than watching Stan hunched over, gritting his teeth and grunting as he tries to bend a penny with his own bare hands.”
—Michael Tully, Hammer To Nail
Strongman (Zachary Levy | New York, NY | www.strongmanfilm.com | 113 min.)
Strongman is a deeply personal portrait of Stanless Steel, “the Strongest Man in the World at Bending Steel and Metal.” Told with the kind of intimacy that can only be achieved with years of filming, Strongman follows the life, dreams and heartbreaking humanity of Stanless Steel as he struggles to gain control of a world that seems constantly out of the grasp of his powerful hands. Strongman is a film about believing in yourself, and never giving up. It is a film about weakness and a film about strength.
Salvaging and selling scrap metal in New York and New Jersey by day forces Stan to hone his skills at night. He struggles to find the time to train, and crafts his own specific, rigorous training exercises, such as lifting a heavy mallet with his wrist, or carrying elevator weights long distances. His creativity with his training indicates the uniqueness of his skills and the depth of his commitment, while highlighting the difficulty of his quest to achieve recognition.
Stan believes these feats are not just acts of physical strength—but of deep emotional and spiritual strength. Through scenes of tender (and often comic) communication with his struggling family—his questioning mother, his troubled brother, and his loving but perturbed girlfriend—we see Stan attempting to express the nature and depth of his commitment, perhaps forging a path for others to follow. Among his family, Stan alone seems to have a focus, a dream. His stunts are demonstrations of the kind of life transformation possible when you put your whole belief system into something. But belief that fervent can bring with it equally biting disappointment.
Stan refuses to craft simple, flamboyant tricks, which makes it hard for him to achieve widespread acclaim. A parking lot truck lift is a success, but the crowd is limited. An appearance on British television seems like a boon, but within the exposure Stan painfully realizes the inequity between him and the fakers and showmen. His commitment to his girlfriend Barbara as a personal MC indicates Stan’s unfailing loyalty, and his desire to elevate both of their lives, but the relationship strains under the pressure of Stan’s growing frustration.
Just as Stan cares less about superficial showmanship than he does about performing a veritable feat, director Zachary Levy’s filmmaking style follows suit, crafting a portrait that through honesty and integrity discovers true depth and significance. Because the real test of Stan’s strength is not in his hands, it’s in his soul.
Rooftop Films is a non-profit organization whose mission is to engage and inspire the diverse communities of New York City by showcasing the work of emerging filmmakers and musicians. In addition to our Summer Series – which takes place in unique outdoor venues every weekend throughout the summer – Rooftop provides grants to filmmakers, teaches media literacy and filmmaking to young people, rents low-cost equipment to artists and non-profits, and produces new independent films. At Rooftop Films, we bring the underground outdoors. For more information and updates please visit our website at www.rooftopfilms.com.
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