Putty Hill

American writer and director Matthew Porterfield manages to make his sophomore film despite the economic crises with this film which is truly independent. The story revolves around several characters who come together for the funeral of a young man who died of a drug overdose. Via his family and friends, viewers are witness to a collection of comments, regardless whether they were close to him or not. Porterfield's camera corners these people and ask them questions about the dead man which could be interpreted in a multitude of ways. These characters seem to be more approachable to the camera than the norm, hinting that the camera can read into their thoughts. Using a cast of local, non-professional actors from Porterfield's native Baltimore, the raw docu-narrative style bring a necessary authenticity to the portrait. YRCinema's coverage of the AFI Fest.