USA, 2010, 85 min
Language: English
Documentary

Directed by Matthew Porterfield
Written by Matthew Porterfield

Produced by Eric Bannat, Steve Holmgren, Joyce Kim, Jordan Mintzer
Cinematography by Jeremy Saulnier

Starring Cory Ray, Dustin Ray, James Siebor Jr., Zoe Vance

Plot synopsis

A young man dies of a heroin overdose in an abandoned house in Baltimore. On the eve of his funeral, family and friends gather to commemorate his life. Their shared memories paint a portrait of a community hanging in the balance, skewed by poverty, city living, and a generational divide, united in their pursuit of a new American Dream.

Review

Roger Ebert – “Chicago Sun Times”
"Putty Hill" makes no statement. It looks. It looks with as much perception and sympathy as it is possible for a film to look. It is surprisingly effective. I know what the budget was, but the figure is irrelevant. He had all the money he needed to make this film, his cinematography by Jeremy Saulnier always simply and evocatively visualizes, there is not one wrong shot. He has internalized his characters, knows them, understands them, shows them in just such a way that we can, too. If there had been a real Cory, this would be his memorial. Watching "Putty Hill," we don't have to be told there are real Corys.

Ronnie Scheib – Variety
"Named for a Baltimore working-class district, "Putty Hill," Matt Porterfield's shoestring-budget sophomore effort (after the little-seen if much-lauded "Hamilton") gathers real people in real places -- houses, skate parks, swimming pools, karaoke sessions -- around a fictional premise. This curious blend of documentary and narrative, held together less by any plot device than by a rigorous aesthetic, proves all the more effective for being in service of casual naturalism…"

Official site: http://puttyhillmovie.com/

Lumiere - 08.11 - 20:45; Cinema House - 09.11 - 19:00