CAM Goes to the Movies

Comics Arts of Missoula presents a free night of short films about the world of comics and sequential art.

The films:

"$55 Private Room in a Safe Quite Neighborhood"

Jennifer is crafty, from her handmade puppets and dioramas to her homespun plot to kill her husband by way of an Airbnb guest-turned-lover. Jennifer’s husband, Brad, might seem like a clueless dick, but he’s actually one step ahead of her, as she plots his untimely demise, or does she? In the end…do they both win? Written and directed by Lauren Norby, adapted from his minicomic.

"What Do Artists Do All Day?: Frank Quitely"

Frank Quitely is the alter ego of Glaswegian comic-book artist Vincent Deighan. As one of a group of British writers and artists who have reinvented the superhero genre, Frank's depictions of iconic characters like Superman, Batman and the X-Men have provided inspiration for some of Hollywood's biggest movie franchises. In this film, we follow Frank over the course of a day and night as he works on a single page from his latest work, the epic superhero saga Jupiter's Legacy.

"Seth's Dominion"

This short documentary, part animation and part live action, is a portrait of Canadian cartoonist Seth, best known for his Palookaville comic books. Throughout his works, Seth transforms an poignant inner life into observant and witty graphic stories. Incredibly prolific, he produces semi-autobiographical comics, award-winning commercial work, as well as what he calls his “little hobbies.” Here, director Luc Chamberland sheds light on his articulate character, mixing insightful biography with vivid animation in an artful fusion of filmmaking techniques that perfectly captures Seth’s manifold creative universe.

"art21: Chris Ware"

Known for his New Yorker magazine covers, Chris Ware is hailed as a master of the comic art form. His complex graphic novels tell stories about people in suburban Midwestern neighborhoods, poignantly reflecting on the role memory plays in constructing identity. Stories featuring many of Ware’s protagonists—Quimby the Mouse, Rusty Brown, and Jimmy Corrigan—often first appear in serialized form, in publications such as The New York Times, the Guardian, or Ware’s own ongoing comic book series Acme Novelty Library, before being organized into their own stand-alone books.