The Mountain, the River and the Road
Sep 25, 2010
(Michael Harring, USA, 2008, DigiBeta, 75 min)
Sometimes the Film Forum lobby serves as its own incubation zone. This was the case for Michael Harring's The Mountain, the River And the Road, for which he casted "mumblecore" guru Joe Swanberg while Joe was in attendance to screen his Hannah Takes The Stairs. Mountain is filled with improvised dialog that exudes more feeling than most run of the mill first features. An ill-fated road trip leaves Jeff stranded in small town Kernville with the promise that his friend will return shortly. After initial regrets, Jeff’s decision to stay behind to wait is rewarded when he meets local cutie Cat. Growing closer, the couple embarks on adventures that include night sledding, cave exploring and meeting Cat’s family. The frequent, beautiful montages match the airy nature of the scenery and characters.
Screens with
Entry
(Dayna Hanson & Gaelen Hanson, USA, 2003, 16mm, 5 min)
A dance on a sidewalk, punctuated by a mistake, Entry engages movement and space dancing from beginning to end.