Wisconsin-born filmmaker Chris Smith is best known for four independent films that limn some of the more curious aspects of the American dream: his first feature, American Job, portrays the dispiriting nature of much minimum wage work; American Movie follows an irrepressible young director cobbling together a regional horror film; Home Movie focuses on eccentric abodes that express the personalities of their owners; and The Yes Men is a “performance diary” of activist pranksters who infiltrate international conferences. Wry, empathetic, and wise, Smith’s films occupy a special niche in contemporary cinema. His most recent feature, The Pool, is the director’s return to fiction. Set in Goa, India, the film is a deeply moving narrative about the intersecting lives of a young hotel worker, an orphaned boy, and the owner of a swimming pool. The Department of Film is proud to present a special preview screening of The Pool on September 1, the final evening of Smith’s retrospective—two days before its theatrical premiere at the Film Forum.
Organized by Laurence Kardish, Senior Curator, Department of Film.
Thanks to David Shultz of Vitagraph Films for helping coordinate the screenings. The Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of Chris Smith.