Sowelu Theater
Portland, OR
503.730.9066

Sowelu Theater and Film Action Oregon
are proud to present

an original film by Aaron Katz

Quiet City
September 14 through 20, 2007

The Austin Chronical calls Quiet City "...a Terrance Malick film for the new lost generation." Following it's August 29th premier at the IFC Center in New York, Sowelu will co-present this film around the United States.

Synopsis

Jamie is lost. She's come to New York to visit her friend Samantha, but Samantha is nowhere to be found, and now Jamie is alone in the city. Charlie just quit his job, and isn't sure where he's going next. Their paths cross late at night on an empty subway platform, and from this chance encounter an unlikely connection is formed. Together they share twenty-four hours drifting from late night diners, to city parks, to abandoned apartments, to a party and art gallery deep in the heart of industrial Brooklyn. Delicately realized with generous humanity by its cast and crew, Quiet City offers hope for intimate connection in a world that grows larger by the day.

Featured performers

Quiet City was produced by Brendan McFadden and Ben Stambler. The film stars Erin Fisher, Cris Lankenau, Joe Swanberg, Sarah Hellman, Tucker Stone, Michael Tully and Karrie Crouse. Read a review»

Read other times around the country and view a trailer for this film.

Dance Party, USA

The Portland premier of Quiet City on September 14th will also feature an encore presentation of his first feature, Dance Party, USA.

DANCE PARTY, USA was made in Portland and features artists trained in directing, writing and acting programs at Sowelu, Pacific Crest Community School and North Carolina School of the Arts. Mr. Katz was mentored throughout this project from first draft to final product by Sowelu Artistic Director, Barry Hunt.

Mr. Katz's talent and tenacity, as well as that of his young ensemble, has taken this project to festivals around the country. DANCE PARTY, USA has garnered exceptional notices in the national press including The New York Times. A short run in New York received a pick in New York Magazine and ultimately placed DANCE PARTY, USA on the Top Ten Films of 2006 in The New York Sun. This will be the first screening in Portland.

Featured performers

Mr. Katz's cast stars Anna Kavan, Cole Pensinger, Sarah Bing and Brendan McFadden. (You can also glimps Sowelu Associate Artistic Diretor, Lorraine Bahr!)

Synopsis

Apathetic seventeen-year-old Gus hangs around doing nothing with his buddy Bill most of the time. Gus likes to tell half-true stories about all the girls he's slept with and all the drugs he's done. Jessica is seventeen too. She doesn't seem to have much in common with anyone anymore - not even her best friend Christie. Every year this one guy Brian throws a 4th of July party. The party is never that great, but there's free beer, so people always go. Gus and Jessica meet each other there. They watch fireworks outside and light sparklers. Gus says that he's not the sort of guy she thinks he is. He tells her a secret. Things are different after that.

Mr. Katz's Director's Statement

My goal with DANCE PARTY, USA was to create a film that felt like real life. Most films about teens are filled with people who don't act how anyone really acts. I wanted to make a different kind of film. I had the idea to use some portions of overheard conversations I jotted down while riding on a train. With those seeds I wrote what would eventually become DANCE PARTY, USA. Two years later I had the opportunity to make the film. My chief objective was to strip away everything unneeded and create an environment that gave the actors the opportunity to be present in the moment, really listen to each other, and really respond to each other. During the two years that followed, in which we cut the film, our constant aim was to find the moments of truth, where the actors were just real people dealing with what was going on around them. Throughout the process I have tried to remain true to my initial goal of creating something simple, honest and direct.

Reviews »

Event Information

When

Quiet City
September 14 & 15 at 7:30 PM
September 16 - 20 at 9:30 PM

Dance Party, USA
September 14 & 15 at 9:45 PM

Where

Hollywood Theatre
4122 SE Sandy Blvd.

Tickets

$6.00 general admission
$4.00 seniors 65+ purchase tickets

For information call: 503.730.9066