Jay Duplass Doc ‘Kevin’ to Open Hell’s Kitchen Fest

Writer-director Jay Duplass’ documentary debut Kevin will open the first annual New York Hell’s Kitchen Film Festival. The Academy Award-winning short film God of Love, from filmmaker Luke Matheny, will also kick off the fest, which runs September 1-11.

“This all-digital festival was founded to revitalize and bring attention to New York’s Hell’s Kitchen as a community of artists and film enthusiasts,” says Ernest Tollja, who with Alfred Tollja owns the Producers’ Club in Hell’s Kitchen and co-founded the fest. “The festival provides a fresh, edgy New York audience and an intimate setting for independent filmmakers whose voices may still be new, undiscovered or unheralded.”

The fest will include daily filmmaking panels, and all films will screen at the Producers’ Club Indiehouse theaters in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.

Duplass’ film involves the disappearance and rediscovery of Austin musician Kevin Gant, who will perform live after the festival screening. A Q&A with Duplass (Cyrus, Baghead) will follow.

“I’m a big admirer of the Duplass brothers’ works, and Kevin is further evidence of their range of talents,” said NYHKFF programmer Vincent Nebrida. “It’s short yet it lingers, it’s unique and peculiar, but for sure, we’ve all known someone like Kevin in our lives.” 

The full NYHKFF program, which includes foreign-language films, indies, shorts and student films, will be announced August 8.