A time for aware, yet urgent, decision-making--often in a moment that shrinks to the size of a pinpoint when held up against the canvas of your life.

Eddie Lebron’s "Becoming Tina" sets up his dramatic short under this premise. The lead, Janet, is smack in the middle of an impending financial crisis--rent, student loans, no job--it’s all piling up and nearing the brink of disaster. Just when she thinks all the doors have closed, an old friend lets her in on an opportunity that will easily solve all of her problems. The oldest profession known to man, it’s a guaranteed quick-fix, so she takes her up on the offer.

The film focuses on Janet’s struggle to become the person she will have to be to follow through with the task at hand. Lebron and co-writer Beverly Wu choose to handle this delicate situation with care. Instead of condemning or romanticizing the character or her choices, they take a more realistic approach. Janet is not completely innocent, but no matter what decision she makes, we’re right beside her, empathizing, even if we don’t agree.

Becoming Tina is a well-shot, solid story that keeps our attention and achieves its goal of entertaining an audience.

- Ashley

It’s been a long time--I shouldn’t have left you...without a dope blog to step to.

Kidding. 

After a short hiatus, I was pleased to find myself amidst a crowd of faces, both new and old, at another successful Sunday Night Screenings. I have to say that one of my favorite shorts from the evening came from SNS virgin, Jeremy Fain. 

An official selection of 7 festivals including Fort Lauderdale International, NYC Downtown Short, and Chicago Reel Shorts International, “Spectacles” is a burst of flavor in a bite-sized package. 

Fain’s directorial debut is a 2 minute cat-and-mouse game between a bifocaled sketch artist and his unwitting subject. As the male lead catches a glimpse of his soon-to-be object of affection, we jump into his head to experience his fantastical romp. A playful fiddle score teases us with tones of humorous frustration and at times--eroticism--as we frolic alongside the characters during their tête-à-tête. 

Like the title’s double-entendre, “Spectacles” is smart, sassy and self-aware--a great short whose ending does not disappoint!

- Ashley

“I thought he would make it…but, he didn’t.” – just one of the memorable lines from Cesar De León’s Junito—a haunting recollection of one little boy’s struggle with his father’s debilitating alcoholism. 

Based on the director’s childhood, this film is careful, delicate and honest. One of the things I enjoyed most was León’s portrayal of his father. At times, one might expect Carlos’ character to become violent or angry, but he never so much as raises his voice.
When Junito pours all of his dad’s liquor into the sink, we anticipate—even fear—Carlos’ inevitable outrage. 
It never comes. 

I don’t know what happened in real life—maybe he yelled, maybe he didn’t—that’s not the point. Instead of harping on the character’s obvious flaws, León chooses to focus on the story of a son’s unconditional love for his father. Narrated by the innocent Junito—we see the world through his eyes— because he looks up to Carlos, so do we—or at least we empathize.  
More peaceful—more nostalgic than lamenting—the images of a sunny walk down the street, or a boy resting on his father’s shoulders as they watch pigeons fly overhead— León includes us in the opportunity to reflect on the happy memories he and his father once shared.  

Junito is a story dug up from the deepest trenches of the heart—it gently tugs at your soul and quietly reassures you that art is not always made for its own sake.

To Cesar: You invited us in to share the most intimate and heartbreaking reality of your world. It could not have been easy, but you did it—and you did it well. Thank you.

-Ashley Miles

Ps. Check out Cesar De León’s expansion of Junito in his feature, Salud (2009).

On February 13, SNS got another taste of festival success with Premature.
Directed and elegantly executed by Rashaad Ernesto Green, I think it’s safe to say that this short blew everyone away. The story’s simple enough—an “at-risk” teen, finds herself pregnant and has a choice to make. We’ve seen it time and again…so why is Tisha’s story any different?
As with any successful film, Premature’s strength relies on its ability to capture and convey the appropriate mood of each scene. From playful, yet abrasive conversation in the girls’ locker room, to inserts of Tisha’s hand clutching the blood-splattered bathtub— you cringe, you laugh, you gasp. Every frame elicits a visceral reaction from the viewer...it’s a gut-wrenching rollercoaster.
Through a meticulously constructed plot and judicious character-development, Green is able to dig into the nooks and crannies of this young girl’s isolation. Everyone she depends on has let her down. She’s alienated in a space full of family and friends. As an audience, we become flies on the wall—thrown into the desperate, lonely and intimate moments of her world.
Along with the stunning visual quality, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the blazing performance from the lead, Zora Howard. I look forward to seeing what she and Green have to offer in the future.
To close, Premature is a film that stirs you, and the kind I’d like to see more often.

-Ashley Miles

Starting March 3rd, Gizzi's Cafe will now be stocking a wide selection of liquor for its customers. Which means March 13th will be the 1st ever Sunday Night Screenings to serve liquor. Be sure to be there for this historic event, as we can all watch the best independent films while getting your drink on. Also, please continue to support Gizzi's, not just on Sundays, but whenever possible. It is a fantastic place to eat, drink, relax, and get some work done. 

Gizzi's Cafe is located at 16 West 8th Street in the heart of West Village. 

See you all at the next screening.

- Alex Montanez

I guess the easiest way to describe My Fake Production’s Word On The Street is to say that it works… but I’m gonna try and do it more justice than that. 

You see a lot of small indies whose directors try to emulate their favorite genre films, and end up falling flat on their faces. You see these movies and think, “I could’ve done this soo much better” – You see Word, and that thought doesn’t cross your mind. 

When I was watching it at home for the second time http://www.myfakeproductions.com/beta/wordpress/, my roommate decided to nickname it “Hoodfellas” which was slightly offensive, but probably also a little bit true—Like if the last 20 coked-out minutes of Scorsese’s iconic pic had been set in the barrio, and if Ray Liotta’s character had had a little more swag, then I guess Word’d be what you got. In case I wasn’t clear—this is a good thing. These guys gave me everything I needed in 15 minutes—comedy, “Tito’s a miserable bastard—he hates everything—music…the weather…ice cream…”, trippy special effects—in the post-screening interview, Nick Barbieri (writer/director/lead) said they wanted it to feel like watching a real-life cartoon— and of course, tension—but I can’t give away the ending. All this being said, even if I had paid to see it, I’d’ve been a satisfied customer. 

So to close, the D-I-Y duo of Nick Barbieri and Nichy have proven that you can cater to a wide audience while celebrating/maintaining your artistic expression as a minority filmmaker, by working with a script and a cast that primarily consists of people who look like you. In other words, Power To The People. I don’t mean to get all preachy or sentimental, but this film definitely reminded me of the value of Sunday Night Screenings—Pockets of educated minorities creating and sharing art. Filmmakers of all types coming together, basking in the blood sweat and tears we’ve all shed individually just to complete one film. Here the voices that are too often trampled upon are handed the mic and asked to bestow their knowledge. Twice a month we commune over the never-ending process of creating work that will elevate our stories so high that they can no longer be excluded from the collective American psyche. 

This is Sunday Night Screenings.

P.S. look out for the sequel to Word On The Street, featuring SNS host, Jonathan Duran.\

- Ashley Miles

Itá, Paraguay. A boy lifts up his shirt for the camera, revealing a massive scar carved across his stomach. This mark is a result of the emergency operation that saved his life. Unfortunately, with his great triumph came great devastation, as the boy’s parents had to give up their trucking business and savings to pay for the surgery.

This could have been the financial end-of-the-line for the Portiyó family, if not for a service called microlending. Microlending is a program that gives small loans of $40, $30, or even $20 to people who would otherwise be unable to receive credit. After her son’s operation, Pablina Portiyó, a farmer’s wife and mother to 9, decided to take out a small loan to jumpstart her new business. Rachel Cook’s Microlending Film: A Documentary About Enterprising Women, follows Pablina’s unlikely success story, exploring the enormous impact even a small amount of money can have on those who put it to good use.

Cook’s Microlending is a well-shot, thoughtful and engaging documentary that serves its purpose of educating viewers about the business of microlending. While this piece could certainly stand on its own, the director and her crew of professionals intend on expanding this half hour short into a feature. The latter will focus on countries such as India and Bangladesh, while it investigates the potentially negative side to micro-loans, ie. exorbitant interest rates and power struggles within staunch patriarchal societies. To learn more about microlending, donations, or the film itself, visit http://www.microlendingfilm.com/. 

This spring, director and Sunday Night Screening's veteran, Chris R. Notarile, will be premiering his second feature film "Stand Off": A crime drama about a group of elite female bank robbers are thrust into a Mexican stand off when they discover that someone on their team might be a snitch for the cops. Tension runs high as four friends put their loyalty to the test.

Stand Off is written and directed by Chris .R. Notarile and stars, Mandy Evans, Kim Santiago, Kerri Miller, Alex Turshen and Roberto Lombardi.

For more information, check out www.blinky-productions.com