Elevated Films screenings support youth film programs

Susie Linker’s last Elevated Films rooftop screening of the season will be the Aug. 11 Chicago premiere of the coming-of-age comedy “Morris from America,” prior to its Aug. 19 theatrical release.

Co-hosted by distributor A24 Films and Whole Foods, the fourth and last summer screening takes place on the 300-seat rooftop of Foods in Lincoln Park. Like all Elevated movies, it is a pre-release from such distributors of indie films as A24, Magnolia, Film Arcade and Monumental Releasing.

Written and directed by Chad Hartigan, “Morris in America” is about 13-year old Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas), who has just relocated with his single father, Curtis (Chicago actor Craig Robinson) to Heidelberg, Germany and dreams of becoming a rapper in an EDM world.

To further complicate matters, Morris falls hard for his cool 15-year-old classmate Katrin. He sets out against all odds to take the hip-hop world by storm and win the girl of his dreams.

Preceding the feature will be a short film from a youthful filmmaker from one of the city’s several youth training and mentorship, such as Free Spirit Media and John Mossman’s South Side Filmmakers Youth Initiative.

“Elevated Films’ mission,” says Linker, “is to donate net profits from the screenings to help support these programs so we can keep young filmmakers working in Chicago and encourage independent filmmaking here.”

Tickets are a bargain at $15 as they includes complimentary SkinnyPop popcorn, free Whole Foods snacks, a $2 donation for a can of beer from Revolution Brewery, and a spirits tasting from local CH Distillery.

At 1550 N. Kingsbury; doors open at 6 p.m. DJ Vinyl Voyage start spinning music at 7 p.m., the movie starts at sunset, approximately 8 p.m. Post-screening Skype Q&A with writer/director Chad Hartigan follows the film.