RIDM

Abandoned swimming pools used as skate parks, alcohol, drugs and unprepared fatherhood: Welcome to the world of Josh “Skreech” Sandoval. Washed-up at 23, Skreech, a legend of the California skateboarding scene, is awkwardly seeking his place in a society to which he has never really belonged. For his first film, Tristan Patterson gets on his tortured character’s wavelength, playing with syncopated pacing and switching between beautifully composed shots and jerky amateur video. With a gritty and poetic punk vibe, this stark plunge into a genuine alternative America dwelling in the midst of decaying capitalism offers a one-of-a-kind look into today’s outsider culture. Best documentary at Hot Docs and South By Southwest.