One of the featured films at this year’s Seattle International Film Festival has captured the essence and beauty of Ballard summer. It’s called “Beach Town,” directed by local filmmaker Erik Hammen, and shot in iconic Ballard locations such as Golden Gardens, the Ship Canal and Old Ballard.
The movie isn’t about Ballard specifically; it’s a love story that takes place in a nondescript “ramshackle coastal town.”
“It’s an atmospheric piece,” Hammen said of Beach Town in an interview with Seattle Weekly. “It’s not literally Seattle, but the essence of it. I’m really interested in a sense of place . . . that kind of salt-burned world.”
Beach Town, shot with a 16mm, stars local stage performers Sarah Winsor and Ahren Buhmann.
Here’s the film description, from SIFF:
Noelle (Sarah Winsor) has just moved to the unnamed community and immediately catches the eye of Arthur (Ahren Buhmann), a local musician and record store employee. But as she acclimates to her new surroundings—surfboard yoga, experimental film festivals, jam sessions—Noelle considers her past mistakes and fears becoming another “rocker’s chick.” Arthur and his bandmate Pete (Riley Neldam), meanwhile, cross in and out of the orbit of a fairy-synth band fronted by the kooky Farrah (Kenna Kittrick), only to see their musical careers go in different directions. Featuring a killer summertime soundtrack and filmed in a warm, laconic 16mm style—the Ballard shoreline has never looked more retro—Beach Town is a laid-back hangout film with local flair and alternative rhythms.
Beach Town will be shown on June 2 and 4 at the SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Avenue N). For tickets and more info, click here.
