Long Beach Cinematheque (lbcinema.org) is honored to present the Long Beach premiere of the new documentary SEARCHING FOR ELLIOTT SMITH, with an in-person Q&A following the film with director Gil Reyes, animator Jennifer Cuellar, Smith's close friend Shon Sullivan (Goldenboy) and Smith's fiancée Jennifer Chiba. That's this Friday, May 20th at the Art Theatre of Long Beach.
The evening will start at 8pm with a half hour set of acoustic Elliott Smith covers by Alyssandra Nighswonger, david sinclair robison, and Merrady. The film will begin at 8:30pm, and will be followed by a Q&A.
Tickets are $11, and are available at the Art Theatre box office or online by purchasing here.
A portion of the evening's proceeds will be donated to Union Rescue Mission, dedicated to a cause championed by Elliott Smith and the filmmakers, the care of Los Angeles' population of homeless men, women and children. Learn more about Union Rescue Mission at www.urm.org.
The Art Theatre will be serving beer and wine for this special event - bring ID if you plan to purchase drinks.
From the filmmakers:
Elliott Smith's intensely intimate songs helped popularize lo-fi, indie-rock: A traditionally underground genre until Smith's mainstream effort "Miss Misery" took Hollywood by surprise. But even after an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song, he managed to fly mostly under the radar. And Smith wanted it that way. After his death in 2003, Smith's peers avoided the media. Granting very few print interviews and NO on-camera interviews. Until now. From his high school days as a National Merit Scholar, to his early work in the Portland rock band, 'Heatmiser', to critical acclaim... to his mysterious death at the age of 34. We learn the dark motivations behind a musical genius. And discover how psychic pain can also produce timeless art.
"...a tribute to a man who through all his shortcomings had a beautiful soul, and positively impacted friend and fan alike."
- Zach Jensen, LAist.com