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Thursday, September 21, 2000 at The Tinker Street Cinema
7pm
| OPENING NIGHT
FILM SWIMMING (NY PREMIERE) 2000/color/98
mins/35mm |
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It's the start of another Carolina summer, and it's becoming increasingly clear to Frankie Wheeler, a young local, that she wants more out of life than Myrtle Beach can offer her. She spends her days working in her family's restaurant and wastes her nights hanging out on the boardwalk with her best friend, Nicola, proprietor of a piercing shop and self-proclaimed trouble seeker. Frankie has always played sidekick to Nicola, so neither is prepared when two new arrivals, a young siren hired as a waitress, and a drifter selling tie-dyes out of the back of his van, court only Frankie. Nicola's ensuing jealousy sets in motion a series of betrayals driving a wedge into their friendship and forces Frankie to take a stand for herself. Swimming is an intimate look at friendship, love and breaking away, set amidst the backdrop of a bustling beach town.
BIOGRAPHY
Robert Siegel attended NYU Film School and as a student
shot Arrivederci, Darling, That's My Advise to You, the
first NYU student film to be theatrically released. His
senior thesis film, City of Fire, was one of a select few
ever offered world wide distribution by the USIA and was
chosen for broadcast on Stanley Kaufman's tv show, The
Art of Film. After graduation, Siegel enjoyed a
successful career in advertising where he worked for J.
Walter Thompson, Carriety-Hoffman Associates and McCann
Erickson producing and directing tv commercials. His
commercial work for Coca-Cola was selected into
Advertising Age's Ten Best.
Siegel's work as a producer/director includes the features Parades written by George Tabori and The Line, an ABC Pictures International/Robert J. Siegel Production with Brad Sullivan and Jacqueline Brookes. Parades was the first theatrical American film to confront America's role in the Viet Nam War, preceding such films as Deer Hunter and Hearts and Minds by several years. It premiered at the USA Film Festival in Dallas, Texas to a firestorm of controversy. When it played at New York's Plaza Theater and the Forum on Broadway, it provoked fist fights in the audience. Released at the height of the war, it was considered too controversial and was eventually withdrawn from distribution. His concerns for political themes reemerged in the HBO World Premiere political thriller, Descending Angel, which he co-wrote and co-produced. Starring George C. Scott, Diane Lane and Eric Roberts, Descending Angel explored Rumanian Nazis in America and their infiltration of the Romanian Orthodox Church throughout this country.
Currently he has two screenplays in development. In The Pink is a comedy set in the 50's about the dark cloud of McCarthyism hanging over a Catskills' hotel. The second, Teabo's Coup, inspired by the Marx Brothers' Duck Soup, is about a venture capitalist and a comntemporary Joan of Arc who conspire to create a revolution in an obscure Eastern European country.
CONTACT:
Robert J. Siegel
Oceanside Pictures
302 West 86th Street, Suite 10-B
New York, NY 10024
Telephone: (212) 874-6041
Facsimile: (212) 873-9477
e-mail: oceansidepix@aol.com
website: swimmingthemovie.com
9pm
- TWO FILMS BY LES BLANK
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THE BLUES ACCORDIN'
TO LIGHTIN' HOPKINS (1969) The great Texas bluesman Lightnin' Hopkins is captured brilliantly in this deeply moving film. Blank reveals Lightnin's inspiration, and features a generous helping of classic blues. Includes performances at an outdoor barbeque and a black rodeo; and a visit to his boyhood town of Centerville, Texas. This powerful portrait is among Blank's special masterworks. (31 min) |
| A WELL SPENT LIFE
(1971) Many people consider Texas bluesman Mance Lipscomb to be the greatest blues guitarist and songster of all time. It is a glowing portrait of the legendary musician (also life-long husband and sharecropper). Instead of growing bitter, tough times made Lipscomb sweet. (44 min) |
Thursday, September 21, 2000 at New World Home Cooking
10 pm
OPENING NIGHT GALA
A grand Opening Night Gala will be held (and is sponsored by) New World Home Cooking.
Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy good food, beverages, live music from BIG JOE FITZ and good company.