Revolve Film and Music Festival

poster

PUTTING THE RIVER IN REVERSE
Matthew Buzzell
Documentary
USA, 2006, 32 min.
4 PM

Fri., Aug. 8, 4 PM, at the Drama Workshop, Salem Fine Arts Center

Post screening Q & A with filmmaker Matthew Buzzell

Synopsis from the Filmmaker:

"Putting the River In Reverse" documents the historic collaboration between music legends Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint as they embark on the first major recording sessions to take place in New Orleans in the weeks post-Hurricane Katrina.

We're so excited and grateful that Matthew Buzzell, a NCSA graduate, is able to host the Triad Premiere of his film. -SC

Filmmaker Bio:

Matthew Buzzell is an award-winning Los Angeles-based filmmaker.

Matthew earned the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Direction from the American Film Institute in 1999. Matthew's thesis film, "6 and a Half," received The Martin Ritt Foundation Award and Matthew was honored as Director of the Year.

In 2001, The Teresa Heinz Foundation commissioned Matthew to make the documentary "What A Girl Wants." The film's topical subject matter—the influence of media culture on the self-esteem of teenage girls—led to it being featured on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

Matthew's feature-length portrait of a jazz vocal legend, "Jimmy Scott: If You Only Knew," received its broadcast premiere on PBS television's "Independent Lens" in 2004, winning the Audience Award. "If You Only Knew" is distributed internationally on DVD by Warner Home Video.

2006 saw two of Matthew's films premiere at The Tribeca Film Festival. "Tell Me Do You Miss Me" chronicles the bittersweet final bows of the critically acclaimed NYC indie-rock band Luna as they mount their farewell world tour and look toward their futures with great uncertainty. "Tell Me Do You Miss Me" is available internationally on DVD from Rhino Home Video.

"Putting The River In Reverse" documents the historic collaboration between music legends Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint as they embark on the first major recording sessions to take place in New Orleans in the weeks post-Hurricane Katrina. It is available on DVD from The Universal Music Group.

In 2007, Matthew created a number of promotional films, EPKS, and music videos for artists as diverse as Diana Krall, Joe Henry, and Bad Religion. On April 1, 2008, Matthew's film "Companeras" received its world broadcast
premiere, again on PBS television's "Independent Lens." The film is a portrait of Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles—America's first all-female Mariachi band.