Friday, May 12, 11:00 AM, Charles Theatre 3
Sunday, May 14, 4:30 PM, Rotunda Cinemateque 2

Director: Robin Muir & Rory Muir

Cast: John Del Signore, Julio Diaz, Paul Lawrence, Kenny Legagnuer, Ron Raffel, Tony Repetti, Helen Stratford

Country: USA
Year: 2006
Running Time: 84:00 minutes
Format: BetaSP

Downtown Locals is a funny and poignant documentary about the people who entertain commuters in New York City's underground subway stations, and the obstacles they must face in order to stay true to their art. Their individual personal struggles combined with shared hassles from police and city bureaucracy threaten their way of life, but each is driven by a need to perform. In order to perform legally in New York subway stations, performers must pass auditions for Music Under New York (MUNY), a Metropolitan Transit Authority sponsored program. Those who pass the auditions are given access to prime locations and relief from Police harassment. Those who don't are forced to take their chances breaking the law. Among the many colorful characters in Downtown Locals are a fifty-year-old accordion-playing chanteuse and Vassar graduate; a motionless, silver-painted human statue known as the Mercury Man; a Colombian immigrant and his dancing partner, a life-sized doll attached to his shoes; and a 26-year-old synthesizer-playing break-dancer.

-- Skizz Cyzyk

Presented By: Robin Muir and Rory Muir

Robin Muir swims, dives, snow skis, ice and roller skates, tumbles, does acrobatics, plays soccer, plays the piano and guitar, sings well, and dances both tap and jazz. She quite naturally fell into her role as Co-Director and Producer of Downtown Locals. She also produced Shelf Life, which was a Grand Jury Prize winner at the 2005 Dances with Films Festival. Her work as a freelance art director has been recognized by The Art Director’s Club and the AIGA. She has a B.F.A. from Art Center College of Design. Robin's sister, freelance cameraperson Rory Muir, is a redheaded pixie with a sparkle in her eye and a smile for everyone she meets. She enjoys singing, dancing, and a splash in the water. Downtown Locals is her feature length directorial and cinematographic debut. She has a B.A. in Spanish Literature and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras.