Grassroots Film in San Diego

Cinema Lounge is happening Tuesday January 29, February 26, and March 25, 2008. What is Cinema Lounge you ask? Well, for the last six months I've been involved in planning a film event like no other in San Diego. I've been collaborating with Sushi Performing Arts and Citizen Video to create Cinema Lounge, an event at Basic Urban Bar and Kitchen in downtown San Diego, that will feature film, art, and music. Each months events will be different. This month it's shorts from the Hi/Lo film festival and local filmmakers talking about their work. Next month it's Mumblecore, and we are flying-in Andrew Bujalski the director of indie films Funny Ha Ha and Mutual Appreciation. Kate Dollenmayer, the actress from Funny Ha Ha will also be present. In March it's La Haine, a film about three teenagers in an urban suburb of Paris that has recently been the site of a riot. The film explores racism, poverty, and violence. We thought it was an apt subject for San Diego. If you want to read more about the event you can download the press release here. Local bands Kill Me Tomorrow, and The Muslims will also be playing the event.

Cinema Lounge has really been a grassroots effort. It started with Jeremy Gaucher (formerly of Sushi) and Holly Jones of Citizen Video. I walked into the middle of it because I read an article in the NYT about Mumblecore, and it excited me so much I thought we had to do something to let SD filmmakers know about the Mummblecore movement. I started talking to Holly, and I approached the UCSD Media Center and the UCSD Library about getting Andrew Bujalski to come out, and here we are six months later. He'll be here in February speaking at UCSD during the day, and at Cinema Lounge in the evening. Here's that NYT article if you want to know more.