Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2009 Slamdance Film Festival, STRONGMAN is an alternately hilarious and heartbreaking portrait of Stanley “Stanless Steel” Pleskun, a New Jersey scrap-metal dealer who is one of the strongest men in the world when it comes to lifting and bending steel and metal. Though this incredible hulk gets gigs at birthday parties and trade shows, he dreams of fame and a showbiz career. But time is running out and, as he wryly notes, “You can’t bend people.” A cinema-verité tour de force, this amazing movie was shot over nine years by filmmaker Zachary Levy. We first heard about it from filmmaker Ramin Bahrani (MAN PUSH CART, CHOP SHOP, GOODBYE SOLO) when he attended the 2009 Cleveland Int’l Film Festival. Bahrani told us it was the best movie he’d seen in a long time. This Friday and Saturday you can see it too.
Fri., June 17, at 7:40 pm
Sat., June 18, at 9:20 pm
Great documentary
STRONGMAN
The Cinematheque’s July-August calendar, filled with goodies, should be available this weekend. Stop in and pick one up — and catch a film at the same time. Or download a copy right now!
Arts Quest 