Saturday, May 13, 7:30 PM, Charles Theatre 4
Sunday, May 14, 5:30 PM, Charles Theatre 5

Director: Matthew Porterfield

Cast: Stephanie Vizzi, Chris Myers, Sarah Seipp-Williams, Megan Clark, Madeleine Saar Reeser, Jasmine Bazinet-Phillips, Tiffany Boone, Marie Collins, Ellis Kant, Nolan Kant

Country: USA
Year: 2005
Running Time: 65:00 minutes
Format: 16 mm

Over the course of two hot and hazy Baltimore summer days Lena, an unwed teenage mother, tries to connect with Joe, the father of her child, before she leaves for a month-long vacation. She is currently living with his family while he has moved out into a place of his own. It’s a very simple story, and yet in the hands of director Matthew Porterfield the film takes on a complexity and richness.

The style is more observational and evocative than strictly plot driven. We are given glimpses into these character’s lives, but not told the entire story, and this approach actually adds to the richness of the tale as we can provide the back story that led these characters to these moments. Shot in long takes without much dialogue, it takes on the feel of a poem about those muggy midsummer days and is reminiscent of the contemplative films of Terrence Malick and the most recent films of Gus Van Sant.

All of this requires an assured hand, and Hamilton delivers down the line from confident direction, striking cinematography, and acting that rises to the challenge of having to convey without the use of many words.

-- Dan Krovich

Presented By: Matthew Porterfield and members of the cast and crew

Matthew Porterfield was raised in northeast Baltimore. He moved to New York City at eighteen, studied film for two years, taught kindergarten for three, and remained there for eight before returning home to make a movie. Hamilton is his debut feature film.