Talk about meta. “Secret Mall Apartment” had its Providence premiere today in the mall where it happened, with director Jeremy Workman and two of the artists featured in the film, on hand to greet the enthusiastic audience. And mall management has been smart enough to lean into the event with a few special displays hidden in plain sight around the mall (see below). Workman was kind enough to pose in this mock-up of the original apartment which you can find in the theater lobby. It’s placement is not random — this is precisely 200 feet above the site of the secret apartment.
This is a limited run, and it looks like some of the screenings are selling out, so make your plan. Even if you have no connection with these people and events — even if you have never been to Providence — you will enjoy this unique tale. And, as one woman expressed in today’s Q&A, it’s surprisingly moving. Turns out, Michael Townsend and the other seven originals, have spent the ensuing years making the world a better place.
What makes this movie so much fun to watch are the hours of original footage. Townsend had been filming during the entire escapade with a tiny Pentax Optio. He has been fielding offers from other filmmakers for some time, but he waited until he met the right person. And this is a movie that could not have been made without Townsend and his footage.
We have been writing about “Secret Mall Apartment” since it was first headed to the SXSW festival and again when it was a hit, coming away with $10 million and actor/director Jesse Eisenberg attached to the project. I think you will regret not having seen this in the original place and piling your pals into this couch for photos. (I am told the PS2 and GTA are accurate if not original. I think you can play it.)
And kudos to Workman and Paul Murphy for their excellent editing; the film runs 91 captivating minutes.
Showcase is running the movie five times a day.
Secret Mall Apartment runs through Wednesday, March 26, Showcase Cinema, Providence Place (directions)
********************************
Townsend specializes in Tape Art a genre I’m pretty sure he invented. To celebrate the movie, he created figures depicting his seven co-pranksters; they are located about the mall on all three floors.
On the first floor, the window of the former Tiffany’s is now a showcase for the incredible wooden model of the mall featured in the film. This is the work of Colin Bliss currently on the faculty at RISD in Furniture Design.
You are encouraged to post pics and tag:
@secretmallapartment
@showcaseus
@exploreprovidenceplace
#secretmallapartment