BAMcinemaFest 2015 Hits Halfway Point, Baumbach, Goldthwait & ‘Kids’ Reunion to Come

BAMcinemaFest 2015 Hits Halfway Point, Baumbach, Goldthwait & ‘Kids’ Reunion to Come


BAMcinemaFest has hit its halfway point, which means there are only a few more days left to soak in some of the festival’s challenging American indie offerings. You may have missed out on James Ponsoldt’s The End of the Tour, Trey Edward Shults’ family affair Krishna, and Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville’s finely crafted documentary Best of Enemies, but there is plenty more where that came from at this well-curated, BAMcinématek-hosted function.

BamcinemaFest 2015 Call Me Lucky Bobcat Goldthwait Barry Crimmins

Bobcat Goldthwait’s Call Me Lucky

Among what awaits is the New York premiere of The Grief of Others (June 23), Patrick Wang’s follow-up to his powerful debut feature In the Family. Based on the book by Leah Hager Cohen, the film is a naturalistic family drama that explores how people deal with tragedy. Also still to come is the screening of Bobcat Goldthwait’s Call Me Lucky (June 24), an enlightening and loving portrait of comedian/activist Barry Crimmins. The film is followed by a Q&A with Goldthwait and Crimmins and moderated by Marc “I just interviewed the POTUS” Maron, who also appears in the film.

Chad Garcia’s Sundance Award-winning documentary The Russian Woodpecker (June 26) makes its New York premiere on Friday. The film looks at the lasting effects of the Chernobyl disaster through the eyes of Ukranian artist Fedor Alexandrovich. It’s followed by Karyn Kusama’s psychological thriller The Invitation (June 26). Kusama’s other films include the knockout indie Girlfight and Jennifer’s Body.

BamcinemaFest 2015 A Poem is A Naked Person Leon Russell Les Blank Documentary

Les Blank’s A Poem is A Naked Person

The fest’s second half is also populated with several special events. Noah Baumbach’s latest Mistress America (June 24) is getting a special preview screening. It stars Greta Gerwig, Lola Kirke, and Charlie Gillette. Larry Clark’s Kids (June 25) is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Following the screening Clark, Harmony Korine, Chloë Sevigny, Leo Fitzpatrick, and Rosario Dawson will engage in a Q&A. Other draws are a free outdoor screening of Richard Linklater’s 1991 classic Slacker (June 25) in Brooklyn Bridge Park, and a newly restored Les Blank film about musician Leon Russell. A Poem Is A Naked Person (June 27), which was filmed between 1972 and 1974, finds Blank in northeast Oklahoma, the location of Russell’s recording studio. Blank’s splendid documentary is both a portrait of a musician and a time capsule of life in rural America.

BamcinemaFest 2015 Tangerine Film Sean Baker

Sean Baker’s Tangerine

Closing out BAMcinématek’s cinematic shindig is Sean Baker’s iPhone 5s-shot Tangerine (June 28). The unlikely hit is a tragicomedy that revolves around two transgender prostitutes who operate in LA’s underbelly. Also on the finale day, Alex Ross Perry’s mind-bending Queen of Earth (June 28), which was the centerpiece of the festival, is getting an encore screening. Perry will be on hand for a Q&A.

(BAMcinemaFest runs June 17-28 at BAM, 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217. For a complete schedule visit BAM’s website.)