Quiet City

Atlanta-girl Jamie is in New York to visit afriend, but never finds her, calling a turned-offcell phone. In an empty subway station, sheapproaches Charlie, asking for directions toa coffee shop. Their happenstance encountertouches off a 24 hour hang-out, where the two,without any duties, drop in on art shows, attendafter parties and eat quietly together. Throughshort intricate scenes in an autumn-coloredhipster Brooklyn, “Quiet City” examines thetemporary – and vanishing – encounters thatmark everyday life.Director Aaron Katz is one of the latest toreceive international appreciation under thelabel “mumblecore” – a genre of low-budget,improvisation-rich films about relationshipsbetween young people that represents a newgeneration in American independent film. And Katz knows his own kind. Crosscutting New Yorkexteriors with Jamie and Charlie, who rarelyspeak with anything other than body language,he pictures how the pair restrains their feelingsdespite a growing friendship with strong mutualappreciation – loading the more or less plotless“Quiet City” with a feeling of intensity.