Event

Shelf Life [Online]

Apr 15-17: 7.00pm PDT
Apr 18-19: 12.00pm, 2.00pm, 4.00pm, 6.00pm, 8.00pm PDT
Apr 22: 7.00pm PDT
Apr 24: 7.00pm PDT
Apr 25-26: 12.00pm, 2.00pm, 4.00pm, 6.00pm, 8.00pm PDT
Apr 29-May 01: 7.00pm PDT
May 02-03: 12.00pm, 2.00pm, 4.00pm, 6.00pm, 8.00pm PDT
May 06-08: 7.00pm PDT
May 09-10: 12.00pm, 2.00pm, 4.00pm, 6.00pm, 8.00pm PDT

Sliding scale admission: $5-25. Please pay what you can; proceeds support our move to a virtual platform!

- "Visiting" Artists! -
** A recorded Q&A between NWFF, Andrea Stein, Jim Turner, O-Lan Jones, and film programmer/restoration champ Alex Mechanik accompanies the film **

- About -
(Paul Bartel, US, 1993, 81 min)

In 1963, on the day that Kennedy was assassinated, the McClouds went down into their bomb shelter. Thirty years later, children Tina, Pam and Scotty (now-grown) have created a life for themselves based on remnants from the 60s, intermittent output from TV, and their demented imaginations.

A dark comedy based upon a theatrical production of the same name, Shelf Life was conceived and written by O-Lan Jones, Andrea Stein and Jim Turner as a result of their rumination on what must become of people boxed in tiny spaces for long, long periods of time.

Made in 1993, this final film from legendary director Paul Bartel (Eating Raoul, Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills, Death Race 2000) was never released.

After decades underground, Bartels original 35mm print was recently uncovered for a 25th Anniversary tour and now for a limited engagement, online for the very first time, presented by and in support of the Northwest Film Forum.

Paul Bartels best directing to date. Variety

Awesome acting on the razors edge of social satire an absolute goldmine for popular culture connoisseurs. Sheila Benson, National Society of Film Critics

Hilariously funny and truly terrifying view of family life in the closest quarters this is the stuff of everyones childhood if wed just admit it. Creepy, funny, sordid; weirdly erotic! Contemporary Cinema