SMOKING LAWS

Narrative, US, 2007, 83 minutes

Director/Writer: Matthew Ehlers
Producers: Jane Ford

Jane Ford in attendance

There's a smoky new perimeter in the barfly subculture. Across the globe, more and more tobacco users are being forced outside of their favorite haunts. As temperatures drop, their whining increases. Smoking Laws explores a night in the life of a smoke-free bar during the coldest night of year. The film takes you inside the conversations and confrontations that last the length of a cigarette. It offers a voyeuristic look at the random strangers brought together by addiction. Smoldering in the haze of dirty secrets, dirty habits, beginnings, endings, even life-and-death, it's smoking good fun.

Matthew Ehlers, a Rochester resident, is a graduate of the USC School of Cinema and founder of Eggwork Productions. In 2002 he was a finalist in the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival in LA and Cannes. He has developed short film content for both Comedy Central and Cartoon Network, and PSAs with such talent as Philip Seymour Hoffman. His past shorts have aired on multiple TV networks and include The Alibi, Lunch, Autobank and Who's Your Daddy?

Jane Ford, a Rochester native, has worked on freelance film projects including independent features, industrials, commercials and music videos as a coordinator and prop person for the past 15 years. She also trafficked films for two festivals and job shared at a regional film office. She looks forward to the future films of Catherine Keener, Cate Blanchett, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jake Gyllenhaal. Her recent favorite films include Being John Malkovich, Rushmore, and Donnie Darko.

Film to be preceded by KEEP ON WALKIN', produced by Phil Geiger & SpiritEast.