Mala Noche Introduced by Gus Van Sant

"A rhapsodic slacker noir!"--Nathan Lee, Village Voice
Gus Van Sant - the award-winning director of such films as Drugstore Cowboy, Good Will Hunting, Elephant, Last Days, and the upcoming Paranoid Park -returns to the Wexner Center to introduce his rarely seen first feature. Presented in a new 35mm print, the film is only now receiving its first proper theatrical release. Set on skid row in Van Sant's home town of Portland, Oregon, Mala Noche is a haunting story of unrequited love and culture clash between a convenience store clerk and the young Mexican illegal immigrant with whom he is infatuated. Shot in black-and-white, originally in 16mm, it is one of the key works from the independent filmmaking movement of the 1980s. The modest yet involving story is based on a novella by poet Walt Curtis. (78 mins, 35mm) Van Sant previously visited the Wex during our 2003 retrospective of his films, when he introduced a preview screening of Gerry,then his latest, to a capacity crowd of Wexner Center members. Don't miss him this time - get your tickets early.