Artists' Television Access

All My Friends Are Funeral Singers

Sunday, February 28, 2010, 4:15 pm, $10

Noise Pop Film Festival Q&A with the Director/Musician Tim Rutili following the screening.

Zel is a fortune teller. She works out of her century-old house removing clients’ aches and pains, advising gamblers and channeling cranky spirits for a quick check-in with their loved ones. Zel is very good at her chosen profession, but she also receives some unique assistance. For as long as she can remember she has shared her home with a group of ghosts — a priest, a bride, a mute child, some washed up vaudevillians and a noisy group of sight-impaired musicians — who pass on incredible knowledge and abilities from beyond the world of the

living.

All goes on at the family homestead as it has for generations, until a mysterious light appears in the woods. The ghosts suddenly realize they are trapped and forge a rebellion, tormenting Zel with all the aggravation and insanity they can muster. When Zel uncovers the origins of these spirits, she is forced to choose between her comfortable if strange existence and letting go of the only family she has ever known.

Zel’s unique story is a lesson in hope, habit, and folklore. The atmosphere is utterly enchanting, an odd realism tinged with humor and wonder. Angela Bettis, respected cult actress known for roles in MAY and GIRL, INTERRUPTED delivered an extraordinary performance as Zel. Superstition, sound and the intricate details of the claustrophobic house feed the film’s construction, allowing the story to unfold like music. This is no surprise, as writer/director Tim Rutili is also a founding member of the band Califone, who appear in the film and provide the lush original soundtrack.

http://www.funeralsingers.com/
http://www.califonemusic.com/

Ticket Link: http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/4873