Reel New York Film Festival

Barbara Leather

Brian Lee — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:45:43 +0000

While making a pair of leather sandals in her cluttered East Village shop, pioneer NYC craftswoman Barbara Shaum muses on her craft, her history-making sip of ale, and her pickiest client ever – Chiki the llama.

Lind shot “Barbara Leather” with a hand-wound 16mm Bolex camera, edited on an ancient flatbed, and preserved resulting splices and jumps to give the film a handmade look that complements the artistic process shown on screen. He also solved a problem that few indie filmmakers have had to tackle: finding a llama outdoors, in the winter, in New York City.

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10 Short Documentaries About My Childhood Home

Brian Lee — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:33:48 +0000

Filmmaker examines her relationship to her mother, reminiscences of childhood, and the story of three daughters who struggle to find common ground as they help their mother transition from the family home to assisted care.

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Miriam

Brian Lee — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:28:06 +0000

In 1945, 21-year-old Truman Capote wrote the harrowing short story ‘Miriam’ which launched his career. This film is a faithful adaptation of that tale. Mrs. Miriam Miller is an elderly widow living a quiet existence in her Manhattan apartment. She has no friends and even her neighbors never seem to notice her. One day, during a rare journey outside, she meets a precocious little girl, also named Miriam. Much to Mrs. Miller’s surprise, the little girl later appears at her door demanding to come in. As the story unfolds, little Miriam becomes more shocking and impertinent as Mrs. Miller becomes increasingly disturbed by her. ‘Miriam’ is a haunting tale of a woman whose mundane existence becomes exciting and frightening as she discovers the truth about ‘Miriam.’

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Let’s Build A Fire

Brian Lee — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:22:00 +0000

Music video for “Plus/Minus” band. Over 170 burnt Polaroids tell a story of starting all over again when life goes sour.

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Fan (A Love Story)

Brian Lee — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:07:03 +0000

A girl and her love for her fan. She searches the city for another way to beat the heat. In the end she returns to her true love.

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Sally Gross — The Pleasure of Stillness

Brian Lee — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:33:53 +0000

Sally Gross – The Pleasure of Stillness is an intimate portrait about the life and work of critically acclaimed dancer and choreographer Sally Gross. Called “the most poetic of minimalist modern-dance choreographers” by New York Times dance critic Jennifer Dunning, Sally Gross has been dancing for more than fifty years. This film will give the audience an insight into the life and creative process of a true New York artist who has been involved in a number of groundbreaking art movements over the last 50 years, which still continue to influence artists today.

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Meet Me In Berlin

Brian Lee — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:37:22 +0000

After being hit by a car, a thirty-something American awaits an eye operation in a Berlin hospital. He calls the only other person he knows in Berlin, a female Icelandic ex-patriate whom he involuntarily stood up because of the accident. To his surprise, she too is confined to her apartment following recent knee surgery. In their isolation they begin to rely on one another’s voices as the only relief; and for a brief moment they connect and share an intimacy that defies the physical space between them.

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William Klein: Out of Necessity

Brian Lee — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:09:11 +0000

William Klein is an artist, photographer and filmmaker who rarely grants interviews. Klein was born in NYC in 1928, moved to Paris at a young age and still calls Paris home. He studied with Fernand Leger, worked for Vogue, made a documentary film on Muhammad Ali, but is probably most well known for pushing photographic technique to its limits. His groundbreaking book “Life Is Good For You In New York” (1956) became a legend for its radical photography. Klein’s photographs have been exhibited throughout the world. In 2006, the Centre Georges Pompidou presented a major retrospective of Klein’s work. This film provides rare insight into Klein’s images.

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Mambo Madness

Brian Lee — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:08:27 +0000

“Mambo Madness” takes place in a totalitarian state called Silencio City. The film unfolds in an asylum designed to resemble a night club that has been specially created to detain citizens that have been infected with “clave”: the erotic and propulsive rhythms that keep time on the dance floor of the imagination.

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Broadway Express

Brian Lee — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:31:50 +0000

Shot in 1959 “Broadway Express” is a portrait of New York City’s diverse population, as captured in the city’s subways during the evening rush hour and late at night. A portrait of the city through the faces of the passengers held captive for the ride.

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