Break The Mold

Bowery Film Festival is proud to screen the following selections:

• A Tale of Endurance: Celebration of the Imperfect

  Directed by Stephanie Bollag
  

  Trapped in an abandoned dungeon, the badass heroine IRO manages to free herself and a band of zombielike misfits from captivity.

• The Velvet Underground Played at My High School

  Directed by Robert Pietri & Tony Jannelli
  

  This animated documentary is the story of the Velvet Underground's disastrous first public performance. While on stage for merely 20 minutes, The Velvet Underground performed three songs: 'There She Goes', 'Venus in Furs', and 'Heroin'. The Summit High School audience responded with, as a band member recalled in 1983, a 'murmur of surprise that greeted the appearance' that 'increased to a roar of disbelief as the band started to play' which'swelled to a mighty howl of outrage and bewilderment...' Half the audience walked out.

• Jumpman

  Directed by Ron Brodie
  

  Curtis is at a crossroads in his life. His dreams to become a legend could be derailed by the easy way out. Heavily Influenced by what he sees on television, he believes greatness is at his fingertips; but it’s only if he is willing to get past the hazards that stand in his way. Narrated by his future self, Curtis reflects on some of the challenges he will have to face if he truly wants to make it.

• Day.Her

  Directed by Natasha Babenko
  

  Zelda is living her day in 3 chapters that bring her to a point of no return. At the end of the day, she chooses to surrender to her soul no matter how hard it is for her to do and realize that she is absolutely free.

• Jabari Keating

  Directed by Stacey Larkins
  

  Upon making a life altering decision, Jabari Keating is a candid first person narrative film that explores his personal reflections, life experiences and trials and tribulations as an African American in present day America.

• Scandal

  Directed by Pablo Mengin-Lecreulx
  

  This animation made of 2500 paintings tells the story of a man who tries to run away from his fate. He is seeking for success, fame, happiness and love... But the city is too strong and he can't win. Sadly, he becomes a powerless witness of his own fall, just like a bee trapped in a spiderweb.

• Voice Of The Monolith

  Directed by Bryan Edwards
  

  Voice of the Monolith is a musical short film about gentrification in rapidly changing Crown Heights, told through the voices of a Black punk rocker new to the neighborhood, and a Brooklyn raised rapper with a chip on his shoulder. The outsider, O.G., is a recent transplant to Crown Heights and runs afoul of the Marlon, a neighborhood local who is trying to protect his through intimidation. Marlon’s exertion of pressure unleashes in the song Bad Block as he tries to set O.G. in his place as an outsider that doesn't belong. Set against interaction of O.G. and Marlon is O.G.’s band, the Spades. Both D.D. and Rob are tired of being in a cover band and want O.G. to create new music. This need for new music comes to a head in the song Say Something, as D.D. pleads to O.G. about their need for music that has a message about what's going on in their scene and the world at large. With the pressure coming at all sides O.G. begins to crack and unleashes his feelings in the climactic song De-gentify.

• Once Upon A Color

  Directed by Jad-Evangelo Nasser
  

  A musical-like documentary about eight artists of color who share their stories and narratives of their struggles, work, and dreams in America.

• Terraza 7

  Directed by Carlos Freire
  

  Terraza 7 is a bar located in Jackson Heights, New York. It opened its doors in 2002, always with the promise of bringing us a show case of different cultures. Here the customers can find not only drinks and music, but Terraza 7 also opens its customers' eyes to a wide arrange of artistic expressions like music, poetry, paintings, and film. Also, Terraza 7 is a political platform for the Latino community in New York City. On its walls there is valuable art that has been produced by various emerging artists that leave their footprints as they transition to other artistic opportunities. After 14 years, Terraza 7 is about to shut its doors. Jackson Heights is a growing and developing community and it makes it harder for Terraza 7 to survive and to continue with its legacy. The community members are in denial to the resolution of closing Terraza 7’s doors.

• Lily

  Directed by Kevin Yu
  

  A struggling immigrant mother tries to reconnect with her son.

• Distance

  Directed by Craig Nisperos
  

  A modern day immigration story that focuses on a man's struggle with being away from his family, his home.

• Wrangling Russia

  Directed by Ilie Mitaru
  

  In 2011, Russia's largest meat producer, Miratorg, began recruiting American cowboys to help restart a national beef industry that had been destroyed during the Soviet era. Wrangling Russia follows four of these American cowboys as they attempt to train their Russian counterparts and create new lives for themselves and their families in this new unexpected Russian frontier.