Out of the Basement: Film Screening and After Party

I've seen each of these DC made, DC inspired short films and they are excellent! Out of the Basement and Into the Lime Light follow two DC boxers as they train and emerge from the local scene in search of success in the greater boxing world. Proceeds from the screening will benefit the programs at the Lime Light Boxing and Fitness, the Columbia Heights gym each boxer trained at. The screening will be at Gala Theater, 3333 14th St NW, tomorrow (Nov 20) at 7:30 PM. $10.

From the organizers:

"Join us for a screening of Out of the Basement and Into the Lime Lite, documentary shorts about two DC fighters from a Lime Lite Boxing and Fitness. Tickets are $10 and all proceeds will benefit Lime Lite, a very amazing gym and youth program in the heart of Columbia Heights. Afterwards there will be an after party with Anthology of Booty DJs and food generously donated by the Coupe. 

Into the Lime Lite follows two-time USA Boxing Champion Malik Jackson as he prepares for a tough match in the Belfast Beltway Classic. Out of the Basement follows Greg Newby, as he embarks on a pro-boxing career after a fall from grace. Both train at Lime Lite, a Columbia Heights boxing gym. The films feature music from local musicians including Brendan Canty (Fugazi, Death Fix), The Evens, and Buildings. 

All proceeds will benefit Lime Lite Boxing & Fitness. Lime Lite Boxing & Fitness is dedicated to helping DC's youth mature in a structured environment to keep them safe and physically and mentally fit. 

Doors will open at 7:30 p.m. | Films will screen at 8 p.m. | All ages."

"Out of the Basement" Movie Screening in Mount Pleasant

For all the music, theater, and visual arts coming out of the District, I always feel like I need to balance my interests with more film. Yes, there is good, independent film making being done in DC. And this project is helping that image.

Two years ago, I saw short film about a local boxer from Lime Lite Boxing and Fitness titled Into the Lime Lite. It was great. Great story, great music, great production quality, and the best part was that it was about DC, told by DC filmmakers.

The same filmmakers are back, having produced another awesome film with close ties to the original. I was lucky enough to see this a few weeks ago and I'm going to see it again! It's playing twice this week; once TONIGHT in Petworth and this Saturday in Mount Pleasant. 

PETWORTH LIBRARY / 4200 Kansas Avenue NW

Monday, July 7, 2014

6:00pm – 8:00pm

MOUNT PLEASANT LIBRARY / 3160 16th St NW

Saturday, July 12, 2014

11:00am – 12:30pm

More from the organizers:

Out of the Basement is a documentary short by DC-based filmmakers Natalie Avery and Kyle Centers about up and coming Columbia Heights boxer, Greg Newby.

The film follows Newby as he embarks on a pro-boxing career out of Lime Lite Boxing and Fitness, a tiny basement gym in the heart of the Columbia Heights neighborhood. The film delves into DC’s boxing subculture and explores how one family searches for meaning and economic stability in a rapidly changing city. Watch a trailer here.

Funded in part by the DC Arts and Humanities Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, the film was made possible by the Documentary Center at George Washington University where Avery and Centers first worked together as students in the Documentary Filmmaking Institute.

Lime Lite Boxing Celebration and Fundraiser

Photo by Lely Constantinople

This event celebrates a great venue, the Lime Lite Boxing and Fitness Center in Columbia Heights. Lime Lite is not just a gym for everyday workouts. They operate as a non-profit 501(c)3 and feature specific leadership and achievement based programming for both youth and adults. Last year a group of filmmakers documented one of participants of the programs, Malik Jackson, in a great short film.

The filmmakers and others are throwing a benefit for Lime Lite tomorrow, Tuesday June 11. They will screen the film at The Coupe - 3415 11th Street NW about 4 blocks from the Columbia Heights Metro station. There will be raffled prizes from local businesses and a Q&A session after the screening. The film is awesome, I'm attending for that aspect alone.

From the organizers: 

"Film Screening + Raffle + Reception

For Lime Lite Boxing and Fitness

Tuesday June 11, 6:30PM-8:30PM.
The Coupe, 3415 11th St NW

Join The Coupe for a special event to celebrate Lime Lite Boxing and Fitness,  a Columbia Heights boxing program that trains champion boxers and provides a safe haven to local youth.

The event features a screening of Into the Lime Lite, a documentary short that follows Lime Lite star and current USA Boxing National Champion Malik Jackson as he prepares for a tough match in the Belfast Beltway Classic. Special features and trailers can be found on the Into the Lime Lite Facebook page.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and Lime Lite coaches and fighters.

Throughout the evening, enjoy drink specials, poster signing with Lime Lite's star fighters, a buffet, a raffle; with great prizes including boxing lessons, gift certificates from Wonderland, Meridian Pint, Room 11 and Kangaroo Boxing Club, and tickets to Thievery Corporation at the 930 Club! 

Here's the Facebook invite.

Join us!"

'Into the Lime Lite' Documentary Screens Wednesday

Photo courtesy of  filmmakers

A couple of weeks ago I got the chance to see a really great documentary short filmed in DC, about DC, by a DC film crew. The movie --Into the Lime Lite-- follows a local youth boxer as he trains at the Lime Lite gym in Columbia Heights, preparing for and competing in the Beltway Belfast Classic boxing tournament. 

Two things going for this film: 1) Engaging subject matter (who knew there was a full service youth boxing academy right here in mid town?), including boxer Malik Jackson, the focus of the story. Having won national events already, he's now training for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. And 2) The film making is just pitch perfect; lighting, music, pace and framing. The filmmakers are from the Institute for Documentary Filmmaking at GWU's Documentary Center.

Into the Lime Lite will be shown as part of the U Street Movie Series, tomorrow Wednesday, August 22 at 7:45 PM (actually, right at sundown). The location is Harrison Field at 13th and V NW, just north of the Ellington apartment building. Gates open at 7:00 PM. The film is short, so they'll  be showing a full length movie just afterwards; The American President. 

A great movie under the lights. Check it out!