Matt Wolf's Wild Combination: A Portrait Of Arthur Russell inspires absolute adoration in me. The film is a beautifully crafted story of the avant-garde cellist and disco producer Arthur Russell, a fixture on the downtown New York music scene in the 1970's and 80's. Before seeing the film, I had no idea who Russell was, but like any truly transformative experience, seeing Wild Combination opened a door inside of me; Russell is an artist that I feel I have known all of my life. His haunting voice feels eternal and personal all at once; A sound that was always there, slumbering gently in the air, waiting for me to hear it.

Put The Needle On The Record: Matt Wolf's Wild Combination

I was fortunate that Matt submitted the film to the Sarasota Film Festival this past winter and we were lucky enough to score a last-minute U.S. Premiere of the film and to host Matt at the festival. I do have to say, the idea that this film (which World Premiered in Berlin) wasn't included in another American festival prior to or after Sarasota seems a bit criminal to me; I think the movie is a major discovery and I can't praise it highly enough. Lucky you; Wild Combination has a couple of screenings next Thursday, May 15, at The Kitchen, the performance space at which Russell served as Musical Director. I am so happy the film is finally being shown in New York City and moved by the fact that the screenings are taking place at Russell's artistic home, a place with such an historical bond to the film and its subject. If you see the movie and fall in love with Russell's work as I did, The Kitchen is also featuring musical performances of Russell's music next weekend; Tower of Meaning will be performed on Friday, May 16 while Saturday, May 17 features The Singing Tractors. Great stuff.

Both screenings of the film are sold out (which I think is just about the most encouraging cinematic news I have heard all week), but I called the folks at The Kitchen and it turns out there is a wait list that opens up an hour before the 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM screenings, so go early and see the film. Trust me on this one; It is an absolutely beautiful film that deserves an audience and all the success in the world.

Tom - were you and I separated at birth? We so often like the same films. One of my great professional and personal joys of the past year was discovering this film when it was submitted to (and included in) IFP's 2007 Independent Filmmaker Labs (Documentary Rough Cut Lab). Matt's sensitivity to the presentation of Arthur's work in the film and to mirroring it formally to an extent in his doc's form is really exhilarating cinematically - and through Arthur's story, of course, tremendously moving. It HAS been interesting to see the long list of international festivals requesting and programming it, but it will be just a matter of time before it finds its place here. And I know a couple of other US fests are upcoming. Audiences should indeed seek it out whenever the opportunity arises.