There’s a lot of exciting news to share about our latest independent film, Fate of A Salesman!
DC PREMIERE
On October 10th, we premiered the film to the DC community, with over 200 people in attendance. Together with our presenting station WHUT, we hosted the screening at the historic Atlas Performing Arts Center just three blocks from Men’s Fashion Center where our film is set. To open the screening, we had an electric performance by the Southern Gospel Singers, longtime customers of Men’s Fashion. They were donned in matching cream suits from Men’s Fashion, and their presence really represented the type of community that is created by mom and pop stores like Men’s Fashion Center.
Following the film’s screening, we participated in a lively Q&A alongside the characters from the film. It was incredibly humbling to see so many of our friends, colleagues, and members of the community engage in discussion about the issues presented in the film.
BROADCAST PREMIERE ON WHUT
Following the DC premiere, the film had its DC broadcast premiere on WHUT on October 17th, followed by two encore screenings. It was pretty cool to come home from work one evening, turn on the TV, and see our work shared with thousands on television. It renewed our commitment to public television as a critical venue for artistic documentary that shares important stories about the communities we live in.
GREAT PRESS
In the days and weeks leading up the screening and broadcast, we received tons of wonderful press for the film. Below are our favorite clips, including links to the article:
“Fate of a Salesman [is] an insightful, stylish documentary in which co-directors Tessa Moran and Ben Crosbie (the husband and wife production team behind Eidolon Films) chronicle the everyday dealings of Willie, owner Jerry Goldkind and salesman Steve Davidson during the store’s final year-and-a-half of business. About as unobtrusive as it gets, this 27-minute day-in-the-life observation celebrates the style of clothing and strength of the community more than it laments our country’s economic issues, approaching the gentrification of H Street with considerable attention to the emotional impact it has on the real-life characters instead of regurgitating statistics.” — Pa/Pa Reviews
“Ben Crosbie and Tessa Moran’s vérité documentary, Fate of a Salesman, chronicles the store’s final year with wonderful, gentle curiosity and wistful imagery. Laid-back owner Jerry Goldkind, whose immigrant father opened the business, and manager Willie Carswell, whose demeanor is as colorful as his wardrobe, emerge as fully fleshed-out figures, pondering the future of Men’s Fashion and men’s fashion. Aside from brief potshots at the neighborhood’s whitewashing (hello, H &pizza), Crosbie and Moran wisely keep their focus on the store: the uncertain old-world Washington, in miniature.”– Washington City Paper
“Inspiring, courageous and heartfelt” – Examiner.com
“lovingly crafted” – DCist
“In DC, the rhetoric of gentrification often takes on an overly simplistic black versus white slant. This film goes beyond that, lightly digging into H Street NE’s history while eloquently telling the story of the store’s team with a quiet dignity. At its heart, this is a poignant story of a Polish immigrant Jewish family planting roots in search of the American dream, and the alliances they formed with African American employees.” – Hill Rag
WHAT’S NEXT: PBS NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION & NEW SCREENINGS
We’re excited that the film will continue to be shared with communities around the country. We’re really excited to share the film with a national public television audience sometime in late winter. And we’re looking forward to upcoming screenings of the film at the St. Louis International Film Festival on November 18th and The Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum on February 8th! Follow us on Facebook for more updates!
