It is no secret that Rapid Growth’s Tommy Allen loves local filmmakers. And it’s not just because of the diverse amount of talent we have here in our state who are showing more and more their visual storytelling proficiency, but because we have had so many rise up from our ranks over the years to produce some stellar film projects. Our state’s impressive list of filmmakers with roots in Michigan include Sam Rami, Paul Shrader, Michael Moore, and so many more.
Starting this Friday night and running throughout the month of May, local screenwriter/director Joel Potrykus will be featured in a brand new series at
Celebration! Cinema Last Call Cinema and only at select locations.
Potrykus is well-known here for his films including “Ape,” for which he won a Best New Director prize at the 2012 Locarno Film Festival (Locarno, Switzerland), and for his follow-up “Buzzard,” which also was lauded with a FIPRESCI Prize at the 2014 Ljubljana Film Festival (Ljubljana, Slovenia).
“A large part of our work is to bring to our audiences premier screenings and other theatrical runs with Michigan-made films,” says Eric Kuiper, Director of Alternative Programming for Celebration! Cinema. “We’re thrilled to bring Potrykus’ work to the Last Call Cinema series.”
Here is schedule of the films that are a part of the Last Call Cinema series:
Friday & Saturday, May 12 - 13 “Buzzard” - Potrykus will be attending this screening with lead actor Joshua Burge (“The Revenant”) at the Celebration! Cinema North only. (Approximately 11:00 p.m.)
Friday & Saturday, May 19 - 20 “The Alchemist Cookbook”
Friday & Saturday, May 26 - 27 “The Exterminating Angel” (1967) Continuing the focus on Potrykus, this classic film, directed by Luis Bunuel, is also the inspiration for the filmmaker’s newest film that is shooting in Michigan this summer.
As an added bonus, at each screening Potrykus will be presenting a short film that will unspool before each of the films in this special filmmaker-focused series.
Before each short, Potrykus shares insights to the movies screening at this series, adding a perfect insider’s edge that will deepen the filmgoer’s experience through these observations.
In addition to these special shorts is a chance to view before each movie a “side-by-side” of all of the shots in Potrykus films that were inspired by shots from other great films.
When we interviewed Potrykus early last year, we really enjoyed hearing how much other films inspired much of his work.
Last Call Cinema will be featured at these select locations:
Celebration! Cinema Crossroads – Portage
Celebration! Cinema North – Grand Rapids
Celebration! Cinema Mt Pleasant
Studio C! – Meridian Township (East Lansing)
Please visit
celebrationcinema.com to get the exact showtimes for all the features in Last Call Cinema.