Rooftop Films Announces Free Events Summer 2015

Rooftop Films is happy to announce its complete list of free movies for the summer of 2015. This year Rooftop will help produce over 60 free outdoor screenings, many of which are new, independent films that will screen as part of the 19th annual Summer Series. Rooftop Films will also partner with various New York cultural institutions to screen new independent films along with classics and recent blockbuster hits.

Over in Manhattan, Rooftop Films will co-present three free screenings of new independent films on the Waterfront Plaza at Brookfield Place (formerly World Financial Center) with Arts Brookfield. The screenings will take place July 30th through August 1st, with live musical performances preceding each of the films. July 30th marks the return of Animation Block Party, a selection of the year’s best animated shorts. This will be followed on July 31st by a special screening of the environmental exposé Racing Extinction, directed by the Academy Award® -winning filmmakers of The Cove. Racing Extinction will be broadcast worldwide in 220 countries and territories on Discovery Channel later this year.

Rooftop is also happy to support Olga Bell’s Krai, and Roomful of Teeth’s Render and Ritornello, which are co-presented by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and New Amsterdam Presents as part of the River To River Festival. River To River is a public engagement initiative that inspires residents, workers, and visitors in Lower Manhattan, by connecting them to artists, new ideas and perspectives, and other art-lovers to demonstrate the role that artists play in creating vibrant, sustainable communities. To learn more about River To River and for a full calendar of events, visit RiverToRiverNYC.com

Rooftop has also selected two films for Outdoor Cinema at Socrates Sculpture Park, which returns to Long Island City this summer for an 18th consecutive summer of free screenings of films from around the world on Wednesday nights in July and August. This year, Rooftop has chosen Rooftop Alums Gaspard Kuentz & Cedric Dupire’s sensational Kings of the Wind and Electric Queens, in addition to a series of Swedish Short Films, courtesy of the Swedish Film Institute, as their contributions to the festival. Rooftop will also help produce the rest of the Film Forum curated series, which includes Don’t Look Back, Iron Crows, and Wadjda among other international triumphs. In addition to films, the Outdoor Cinema festival invites visitors to picnic on the grass, and see musical and dance performances.

As part of the Summer Series, Rooftop has teamed up with The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and Forest City to bring outdoor movies to Summer@Metrotech in Downtown Brooklyn. These events include A Night with Khalik Allah, one of New York’s preeminent photographers and filmmakers, and a special screening of Bikes vs. Cars, which documents the transportation revolution.

Rooftop will also once again co-present Coney Island Flicks on the Beach in partnership with the Alliance for Coney Island and NYC & Company. Every Monday from July 6th to August 24th, a giant 40-foot inflatable screen will turn the beach at West 10th Street into an outdoor movie theater. This summer’s lineup includes a mix of modern, classic, and indie films, all for free, and starting at 7:30 pm.

Rooftop will also help Bronx Terminal Market host its 4th Annual Free Summer Film Series. Films include Home, The Lego Movie, and Big Hero 6. Each evening will begin with pre-film activities provided by Bronx Terminal Market retailers and local organizations such as Bronx Museum and CUNY Hostos.

This summer Rooftop will explore exciting new venues such as Elevated Acre, a full acre park three stories up between the two towers at 55 Water Street. As part of the Water Street Game On! Program, Rooftop will produce outdoor screenings of White Men Can’t Jump, The Karate Kid, and Rudy.

Rooftop Films will also present free outdoor events at the Ridge Hill Mall in Yonkers, including screenings of recent Academy Award® nominees Birdman and Whiplash. The screenings at Ridge Hill are presented in partnership with Forest City.

In addition to those listed above, Rooftop has also helped to program and present LOFT’s “LOL Movie Series” which will feature free screenings of Frances Ha, and Bridesmaids at Solar One in Kips Bay, as well as three free screenings on the roof of the Whole Foods in Lincoln Park, Chicago.

ROOFTOP FILMS 2015 FREE SUMMER PROGRAM:

THE ROOFTOP FILMS 2015 SUMMER SERIES

Various Locations

June 22

Industry City, Sunset Park, Brooklyn

FRESH DRESSED (Sacha Jenkins)

Special FREE screening courtesy of Vimeo. Fresh Dressed is a fascinating chronicle of hip-hop, urban fashion, and the hustle that brought oversized pants and graffiti-drenched jackets from Orchard Street to high fashion's catwalks and Middle America shopping malls. Director Sacha Jenkins' music-drenched history draws from a rich mix of archival materials and in-depth interviews with rappers, designers, and other industry insiders. Featuring Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Sean “Puffy” Combs, Nas, Pusha T, Swizz Beatz, Damon Dash, André Leon Talley, A$AP Rocky, Marc Ecko, Big Daddy Kane, Kid ‘N Play & many others. Fresh Dressed will be released on Vimeo on Demand on June 26th

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/fresh-dressed/

June 23

Liberty Plaza, Manhattan

RIVER TO RIVER PRESENTS: OLGA BELL’S KRAI

Krai (край) is the Russian word for edge, limit, frontier or hinterland. Presentday Russia is divided into a myriad of ‘federal subjects’, including nine krais. Olga Bell’s Krai is an audiovisual performance concerned with the rest of the map: the wilderness, the towns, the inhabitants and their stories.The setting for Krai is Pier 15, where a video installation showing landscapes of rural Russia provides a dreamlike backdrop for this performance. Using text that is a mix of traditional, liturgical and original poetry that Olga created with her mother, a former Radio Moscow broadcaster, Krai will feature Olga along with a small chorus will sing entirely in Russian of Cossack fables, Orthodox chants and politically charged limericks—all set to an astounding score, creating a dizzying mosaic of avantgarde and vernacular soundscapes. River to River Festival includes 60 free dance, music, visual art events in Lower Manhattan and on Governors Island

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/river-to-river-presents-krai/

June 24

Liberty Plaza, Manhattan

RIVER TO RIVER PRESENTS: RENDER AND RITORNELLO

Roomful of Teeth is a Grammy-award winning vocal project founded by Brad Wells and dedicated to mining the expressive potential of the human voice. Drawing from their studies with masters of non-classical traditions from around the world, the eight-person ensemble is continually growing its vocabulary of singing techniques, which include Tuvan throat singing, yodeling, belting, Inuit throat singing, Korean P’ansori, Georgian singing, Sardinian cantu a tenore, Hindustani music, and Persian classical singing. Roomful of Teeth’s mesmerizing songs are guaranteed to capture your attention and show you the infinite possibilities of what the human voice can do through singing styles from around the world. River To River Festival includes 60 free dance, music, visual art events in Lower Manhattan and on Governors Island

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/river-to-river-presents-render-and-ritornello/

July 17

Metrotech Commons, Downtown Brooklyn

A NIGHT WITH KHALIK ALLAH

Join one of NYC’s preeminent urban photographers/filmmakers for a night of unforgettable imagery.

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/a-night-with-khalik-allah/

July 29

Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City

KINGS OF THE WIND AND ELECTRIC QUEENS (Gaspard Kuentz & Cedric Dupire)

A compelling and hypnotic glimpse into one of India’s wildest carnivals. Courtesy of UniFrance.

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/kings-of-the-wind-and-electric-queens/

July 30

Waterfront Plaza at Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey Street, Financial District

ANIMATION BLOCK PARTY (SHORT FILMS)

Experience some of the year's best animated shorts at the incomparable Animation Block Party!

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/animation-block-party-short-films-2/

July 31

Waterfront Plaza at Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey Street, Financial District

RACING EXTINCTION (Louie Psihoyos)

Filmmakers of The Cove bring you the latest environmental exposé

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/racing-extinction/

August 1

Waterfront Plaza at Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey Street, Financial District

TBA

August 5

Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City

COLD CONFLICTS: SWEDISH SHORT FILMS

A selection of Swedish short films about confrontations and disagreements. Part of Rooftop Films’ Swedish Summer Focus.

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/swedish-short-films/

August 6

Metrotech Commons, Downtown Brooklyn

BIKES VS. CARS (Fredrik Gertten)

The bicycle, an amazing tool for change. Activists and cities all over the world are moving towards a new system. But will the economic powers allow it? Bikes vs Cars, a new film project from BANANAS!* and Big Boys Gone Bananas!* director Fredrik Gertten, looks into and investigates the daily global drama in traffic around the world. Part of Rooftop Films’ Swedish Summer Focus.

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/bikes-vs-cars/

LOL MOVIE SERIES (NEW YORK)

Solar One, Manhattan. Loft and Rooftop Films present three classic comedies, FREE, along the river at East 23rd Street.

More Info: http://loft.com/summermovies 

June 25

LOFT AND ROOFTOP FILMS PRESENT: FRANCES HA (Noah Baumbach)

Noah Baumbach's brilliant comedy Frances Ha, FREE, outdoors at Solar One.

June 30

LOFT AND ROOFTOP FILMS PRESENT: BRIDESMAIDS (Paul Feig)

The instant-classic comedy, Bridesmaids, FREE, outdoors at Solar One

LOL MOVIE SERIES (CHICAGO)

Loft’s LOL Movie Series continues in Chicago with three free screenings on the roof of Whole Foods Market Lincoln Park, Chicago.

More Info: http://loft.com/summermovies

July 8

LOFT AND ROOFTOP FILMS PRESENT: BRIDESMAIDS (Paul Feig)

The instant-classic comedy, Bridesmaids, FREE, on the roof of Whole Foods Market in Chicago, as part of Loft's LOL Movie Series.

July 15

LOFT AND ROOFTOP FILMS PRESENT: GHOST WORLD (Terry Zwigoff)

The 90’s indie hit, starring Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson on the roof of Whole Foods Market Lincoln Park, in Chicago, as part of Loft's LOL Movie Series.

July 22

LOFT AND ROOFTOP FILMS PRESENT: WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (Rob Reiner)

The classic 80’s rom com, When Harry Met Sally, FREE, outdoors on the roof of Whole Foods Market Lincoln Park, in Chicago, as part of Loft's LOL Movie Series.

OUTDOOR CINEMA

Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City

July 1

DON’T LOOK BACK (D.A. Pennebaker)

Arguably the greatest music documentary ever. Bob Dylan’s 1965 British tour, intimately recorded by legendary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker, reveals the genius/enfant terrible at the height of his growling ‘60s counter-culture persona.

More Info: http://socratessculpturepark.org/program/dontlookback/

July 8

LIVE IN MAID (Jorge Gaggero)

A wonderful comedy of class consciousness and codependency that easily and subtly crosses cultural boundaries.

More Info: http://socratessculpturepark.org/program/live-inmaid/

July 15

GAINSBOURG: A HEROIC LIFE (Joann Sfar)

The life and loves of French pop star Serge Gainsbourg are reimagined by comic book artist Joann Sfar.

More Info: http://socratessculpturepark.org/program/gainsbourg-2/

July 22

IRON CROWS (Bong-Nam Park)

Remarkably beautiful cinematography affords indelible insights into how some of the most exploited people on earth retain their courage, decency and fortitude.

More Info: http://socratessculpturepark.org/program/ironcrows/

July 29

Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City

KINGS OF THE WIND AND ELECTRIC QUEENS (Gaspard Kuentz & Cedric Dupire)

A compelling and hypnotic glimpse into one of India’s wildest carnivals. Courtesy of UniFrance.

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/kings-of-the-wind-and-electric-queens/ 

August 5

Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City

SWEDISH SHORT FILMS

A selection of Swedish short films about confrontations and disagreements.

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/swedish-short-films/

August 12

WADJDA (Haifaa al-Monsour)

The charming, poignant story of a 10-year-old girl who longs for a bicycle so she can race her best friend (a boy) and attain some measure of independence in a society whose restrictions on women begin early.

More Info: http://socratessculpturepark.org/program/wadjda/

August 19

ALICE (Jan Svankmajer)

A live-action Alice encounters both animated animals and objects on her trip down the existential rabbit hole.

More Info: http://socratessculpturepark.org/program/alice/

CONEY ISLAND FLICKS ON THE BEACH

On Mondays during July and August, a giant 40-foot inflatable screen turns the beach at West 10th Street into an outdoor movie theater! Come on down and see great flicks, representing a mix of modern, classic, and indie movies. Get ready for a great lineup for the fifth annual Coney Island Flicks on the Beach presented by Alliance for Coney Island, Rooftop Films and NYC & Company!

More info: http://www.coneyislandfunguide.com/Attraction/Coney-Island-Flicks-on-the-Beach.htm

July 6

THE TERMINATOR (James Cameron, 1984)

July 13

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Wes Anderson)

July 20

THE GOONIES (Richard Donner)

July 27

INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (Steven Spielberg)

August 3

BIG HERO 6 (Don Hall, Chris Williams)

August 10

MRS. DOUBTFIRE (Chris Columbus)

August 17

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (James Gunn)

August 24

TBA

RIDGE HILL

Rooftop Films and Forest City present five screenings FREE screenings at Ridge Hill in Yonkers.

More info: http://www.westchestersridgehill.com/eventscalendar

July 13

PADDINGTON (Paul King)

July 27

BIG HERO 6 (Don Hall, Chris Williams)

August 10

MALEFICENT (Robert Stromberg)

August 19

BIRDMAN (Alejandro González Iñárritu)

August 27

WHIPLASH (Damian Chazelle)

GAME ON! AT ELEVATED ACRE

More Info: http://gameon.downtownny.com/

July 8

WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP (Ron Shelton)

August 12

KARATE KID (John G. Avildsen)

September 9

RUDY (David Anspaugh)

BRONX TERMINAL MARKET

Rooftop Films co-presents three FREE screenings of family-friendly movies on the big, beautiful Roof of the Bronx Terminal Market. More info at http://bronxterminalmarket.com/pages/events.aspx

June 30

HOME (Tim Johnson)

July 14

THE LEGO MOVIE (Christopher Miller, Phil Lord)

August 11

BIG HERO 6 (Don Hall, Chris Williams)

For more information and updates please visit their website at www.rooftopfilms.com

Rose McGowan's Directorial Debut DAWN - Available for FREE Now!

ROSE MCGOWAN'S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT

DAWN

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON ROSE MCGOWAN'S OFFICIAL YOUTUBE CHANNEL: CLICK HERE

FREE OF CHARGE

FEEL FREE TO WATCH AND EMBED FILM

**Sundance Film Festival: Official Selection** 

"The creepy directorial debut of actress Rose McGowan...lurches from bubblegum to menace"

- Stephen Holden, THE NEW YORK TIMES 

"Provocative...slowly seductive" 

- Betsy Sharkey, LOS ANGELES TIMES

"Positions McGowan as an earthmover behind the camera"

- Matthew Bedard, FLAUNT

"A strong debut; a subversive bit of old-fashioned, pop-melodrama with a scary undercurrent"

- Austin Trunick, UNDER THE RADAR

"The film left me literally breathless"

- Liz Whittemore, CINEMIT

"Tense and dark"

- Rob Feld, THE HUFFINGTON POST

Realizing that her passion lies in film-making, Rose McGowan's breakthrough directorial debut, DAWN, is a disturbing tale of a young girl's budding sexuality and one's desire to experience the unknown.  Dawn (Tara Barr) is a quiet young teenager living in Kennedy era America who longs for something or someone to free her from her sheltered life. When she strikes up an innocent flirtation with the boy who works at her local gas station (Reiley McClendon), she thinks that he is perhaps the answer to her teenage dreams. Though when she invites the boy and his friends into her otherwise cloistered world, she gets a lot more than she bargained for.
TRAILER HERE 

Directed by: Rose McGowan

Written by: M.A. Fortin, Joshua John Miller

Cast: Tara, Barr, Reiley McClendon, Hannah Marks, Michael Moskewicz, Julia Sanford, John Grady

TRT: 17 Minutes 

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON ROSE MCGOWAN'S OFFICIAL YOUTUBE CHANNEL: CLICK HERE

FREE OF CHARGE

Tangerine (4/4)

Writer and Director: Sean Baker

Co-writer: Chris Bergoch

Starring: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, James Ransone, Karren Karagulian, and Mickey O’Hagan

Tangerine: Too much going on in a broken world, is there any potential for a positive outcome?  Betrayal. Friendship.  Drug use. Disloyalty. Hustling to get money. Living a double life.  These are some of the adrenaline thrills and behavior we see from the lead characters in feature film, Tangerine.  I was on the edge of my seat from the beginning to the end; Sean Baker created a storyline that made me really care for the characters and fall in love with lead Sin-Dee, who is played by Kitana Kiki Rodriguez.

What defines betrayal? Is it conditional on the relationship? Does it depend on if you’re a coworker, best friend, or lover? This storyline intertwines two worlds, between a taxi driver and prostitutes in Los Angeles, there is plenty of action, pun intended.

This film is a raw and exposed look at getting into trouble in a big city.  Everything will come to surface eventually, whether it’s a mother in law catching her son-in-law cheating, or Sin-Dee’s best friend finding out she lied. This film shows who’s really there for you, and how to steer on the air of caution.  Tangerine defies predictability.

There were sweet moments brief care and love. Was it illusional? Was everything and everyone delusional? I noted a lot of symbolism and metaphors with the films embodiment of twists and turns-that which life can bring. The writer/director, Sean Baker, created this film with an exceptionally artistic eye.

It's a MUST WATCH!

Note: These ratings and review are personal opinion of the author.

RUNOFF (3/4)

Written and directed by Kimberly Levin

Starring: Joanne Kelly, Neal Huff, Alex Shaffer, Kivlighan de Montebello, Tom Bower & Darlene Hunt

Runoff, an Independent Feature was screened for New Yorkers to view at the chic Crosby Street hotel in SoHo on June 21st. While reading the description of the film beforehand, I was eager to see a film about farm life, which is polar opposite from a life we are used to in New York.  The film exceeded my expectations with a depiction of a life utterly opposite from city life.  Relationship wise. Lifestyle wise. Economic wise.  Now, we live in a society where—for the most part—there are infinite possibilities. Infinite ways to go about a goal or issue.  This family did not have such widespread choices.  The family in Runoff is threatened to leave their land, in financial struggle, a health issue, and much anxiety that surfaces and flows like that of a river. The problem at hand can leave for a bit, but it will just come right around as the stream cycles.

The debutant director Kimberly Levin, who's also the writer of the film, has created a complex story with even more complex characters. In this world nothing is black and white, and no one is good and evil. The story and the characters are all in that gray zone, just doing their best to survive. It does get overly complicated and close to confusing at points, but the story does bind together to deliver a powerful punch with a thoughtful story.

With beautiful cinematography, color, nature, and plenty of wide shots showing farm life, this film created an awe. A  sympathy for the family, even though I as the viewer do not live on a farm.  Betty, is the mother who holds everything together like glue, for as long as she can.  I think her character can be a metaphor for all of us and our actions in day-to-day life.  Some things require a sense of urgency.  Sometimes the issue at hand completely has to do with money, and sometimes, we as humans don’t realize how our actions can affect more than just our family. Those are some of the beautiful and insightful feelings I was left with as the film was coming to a close.  When I make a decision, is it only best for me? For my best friends?  Am I being selfless or selfish? How can I help the community? I think this colorful film highlights family troubles, decision making, with nuclear family dynamics still highlighted, and a farm lifestyle that may soon become extinct, this film is an eye opener to remember that we are all being affected by the same stream.

The film is filled with beautiful performances by entire cast including lead actors Joanne Kelly and Neal Huff. Joanne's performance has lots of shades and she play in beautifully. Neal Huff shows the charisma of a charming and loving husband and father, girth and pain of a hard working farmer and man struggling hard to support his family. The supporting cast is amazing and beautiful performances by children make it even more flavorful.

Runoff will open Theatrically on June 26th, by Monterey Media.  It will also be available on On Demand, iTunes, Amazon Prime, Xbox, and more.

(with addition inputs from Art Shrian)

Note: These ratings and review are personal opinion of the author(s).