ARTHOUSE FILM NEWS - Cosmic Disco Detective Rene at Facets, Chicago 11/29/23

Pardon me for being hysterically positive about Sujewa Ekanayake's latest indie comedy creation, Werewolf Ninja Philosopher , but when a no-budget flick like this shows up with everything in place – great casting, great B&W images, clever scriptwriting, perfect music, gutsy editing and scene-building, both meaningful and funny too – it's time to cheer for the entire (thought-of-as-dead) real indie scene.   An original 'breakthrough' feature like this, helmed by an artist who did the whole job himself, of scripting, directing, shooting, cutting & producing, should be enough to add Ekanayake's name to the list of Brooklyn film notables who dare to risk all for their cinematic art.   – Rick Schmidt * Werewolf Ninja Philosopher from Sujewa Ekanayake on Vimeo .

Werewolf Ninja Philosopher from Sujewa Ekanayake on Vimeo . * In WEREWOLF NINJA PHILOSOPHER someone is killing art filmmakers in NYC. The City calls on Werewolf Ninja Philosopher - a werewolf who is a ninja, a philosopher, and a private detective - to help stop the killings. A deadpan, slow cinema, minimalist, black & white, NYC art/indie/DIY/underground werewolf noir comedy by Sujewa Ekanayake. Starring Art Shrian Tiwari as Werewolf. Also featuring Kirsten Dwyer, Alia Lorae, Rachel Dixon and others. Music by Kevin MacLoed (full music details coming soon). Copyright 2018 Sujewa Ekanayake. "...The cinematography was seamless and controlled with a style that's personally Sujewa Ekanayake's...It had an intelligence to it with long scenes that held your attention much in the way of film noir, and the acting was consistent. The Werewolf himself was marvelous." - Edgar Grana, School of Visual Arts Instructor, Musician "“Werewolf” never takes itself serious

School of Visual Arts instructor and musician Edgar Grana saw Werewolf Ninja Philosopher on 10/25/18.  Here is his response to the movie - in video, and in text below. * * I was invited to the opening of Werewolf Ninja Philosopher. and I must say it was a delightful surprise. The cinematography was seamless and controlled with a style that's personally Sujewa Ekanayake's. It had an intelligence to it with long scenes that held your attention much in the way of film noir, and the acting was consistent. The Werewolf himself was marvelous.  I was amazed that I was willing to watch a Ninja walk down the streets of New York and Brooklyn. There were marvelous moments of philosophical asides when Werewolf was speaking into his cell phone. There were moments of cutaways to a strange and mysterious woman sitting in the park, a great foil. I will say that it was well worth the evening. The music cutting was controlled and crafted, never overdone.  There were moment

*  Werewolf Ninja Philosopher screening at Maysles Cinema 10/25 - 31 -  https://www.maysles.org/calendar/werewolf Buy tickets here -  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/werewolf-ninja-philosopher-film-screenings-tickets-50954489249

* * Event link for the 10/25-31 screenings at Maysles Cinema . - S

* - full trailer for the film coming next week! * Tickets for the 10/25-31 Maysles Cinema screenings of Werewolf here . The event on Facebook . * Werewolf Ninja Philosopher website here . The movie on Twitter . - S

From recent Pinnland Empire blog review of Amir Motlagh's new feature Three Worlds - "Los Angeles is a strange place with its own unique set of rules (much like any popular city). Filmmaker Amir Motlagh taps in to this with his latest feature;  Three Worlds  - a story that mixes semi-personal journal entries with the existential drama found in the works of Terrence Malick or even Shane Curruth ( Upstream Color  to be specific). This is also an important film about cultural pride and the impact of therapy." Read the review here -  http://www.pinnlandempire.com/2018/09/three-worlds.html Get more Amir Motlagh links at his site . * The Films Here's Three Worlds on Amazon Prime .  See the link for the movie on Vimeo VOD below. Three Worlds from Amir Motlagh on Vimeo . * MAN from Amir Motlagh on Vimeo . * CANYON - MIRS (visual album) from Amir Motlagh on Vimeo . * Whale from Amir Motlagh on Vimeo .

"‘I’m Like the Last Leaf of a Big Tree’: A Conversation With Jonas Mekas He was the Voice’s first film critic and a revolutionary figure in independent cinema. Now 94, he's still making movies, publishing books, and has big plans for Anthology Film Archives. by  BILGE EBIRI SEPTEMBER 21, 2017" READ THE ARTICLE HERE  * *       Jonas Mekas - Walden (Excerpt) from Re:Voir Video on Vimeo . * Jonas Mekas - A Letter From Greenpoint (Trailer) from Re:Voir Video on Vimeo . * Check out Jonas Mekas movies at Fandor. - S

*  *   Also on Amazon Prime - https://www.amazon.com/Man-Amir-Motlagh/dp/B07G2Q3ZP1 * Three Worlds from Amir Motlagh on Vimeo . * PRESS Canyon The visual work of LA’s own Amir Motlagh is something rivaled only by that of the more auditory variety. Artists come in all capacities and mediums. In a place like Los Angeles, the amount to choose from becomes so plentiful that standing out can be the first and last key step of one’s career. That said, it’s pretty safe to admit that the filmmaker shown off here has done just that. Matching a level of creativity with an equal amount of quality, the films of Motlagh have always fluctuated in style, tone and subject matter. While some tend to be stand alone pieces of cinema, others also have an extra utility attached to their existence. In this case, that utility I’m speaking of is that of the musician’s preference. In recent years, the idea of releasing a full length album or E.P. through the means of a visual c

Pre-order now, available on 9/7! Three Worlds from Amir Motlagh on Vimeo .