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Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets

Panorama 2020
© Department of Motion Pictures
In their films, the brothers Bill and Turner Ross often train their camera on simple people leading far from glamorous lives. In this film they find their protagonists in the shadow of the glitzy world of Las Vegas, in a bar called Roaring 20s, which is on the brink of closure. Always observing, but nonetheless in the thick of it, they accompany the last 24 hours in and around the bar, enabling the viewer to immerse themselves in a microcosm that might well be found in many places in the world but that nobody likes to look at too closely. This is a place where people know and help each other, where they feel understood, can have it out with each other and reconcile again.
The film uses methods of the documentary to achieve an unobtrusive proximity that makes us feel as if we too are taking a seat among the regulars at the bar, partaking in Michael’s philosophical excesses, listening to Shay’s tearful expressions of love, and experiencing for ourselves the caring familiarity of this place. In the end, when the last customers stagger out of the bar, we’ve grown fond of them all and have to wonder what their next day will be like and what life holds in store for them.
by Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross
with Michael Martin, Cheryl Fink, Shay Walker, John Nerichow, Lowell Landes, Ira J. Clark, Bruce Hadnot, Pete Radcliffe, Felix Cardona, Pam Harper USA 2020 English 98’ Colour

With

  • Michael Martin (Michael)
  • Cheryl Fink (Cheryl)
  • Shay Walker (Shay)
  • John Nerichow (John)
  • Lowell Landes (Lowell)
  • Ira J. Clark (Ira)
  • Bruce Hadnot (Bruce)
  • Pete Radcliffe (Pete)
  • Felix Cardona (Felix)
  • Pam Harper (Pam)

Crew

Directors Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross
Cinematography Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross
Editing Bill Ross IV
Music Casey Wayne McAllister
Sound Design Tom Efinger
Sound Kyle Sheehan, Tom Efinger
Producers Michael Gottwald, Chere Theriot
Co-Producer Jesy Rae Buhl
Co-Production Concordia Studio Venice, California
XTR Los Angeles
The Filmmaker Fund San Francisco
Flies Collective New York City

World Sales

Cinephil

http://www.cinephil.com http://www.cinephil.com

Produced by

Department of Motion Pictures

https://departmentofmotionpictures.com https://departmentofmotionpictures.com

Photos

Bill Ross IV

© Bill Ross IV

Born in Sidney, Ohio in 1980, he works with his brother Turner. For their documentary 45365, a portrait of their home town, the two directors received numerous awards including Best Documentary Feature at the 2009 South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas. They followed it three years later with Tchoupitoulas about their second home of New Orleans.

Filmography

2009 45365; documentary, co-director: Turner Ross 2010 Dinosaur Curtains; short documentary, co-director: Turner Ross · Independent Lens; documentary series, co-director: Turner Ross 2012 Tchoupitoulas; documentary, co-director: Turner Ross 2015 Western; documentary, co-director: Turner Ross 2017 Contemporary Color; documentary, co-director: Turner Ross 2018 No Time to Look Back; short documentary, co-director: Turner Ross 2020 Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets; co-director: Turner Ross, Panorama

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020

Turner Ross

© Turner Ross

Born in Sidney, Ohio in 1982. Working with his brother, the two form the Ross Brothers filmmaking team.

Filmography

2009 45365; documentary, co-director: Bill Ross IV 2010 Dinosaur Curtains; short documentary, co-director: Bill Ross IV · Independent Lens; documentary series, co-director: Bill Ross IV 2012 Tchoupitoulas; documentary, co-director: Bill Ross IV 2015 Western; documentary, co-director: Bill Ross IV 2017 Contemporary Color; documentary, co-director: Bill Ross IV 2018 No Time to Look Back; short documentary, co-director: Bill Ross IV 2020 Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets; co-director: Bill Ross IV, Panorama

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020