Jake Sumner

Movies

Ron Delsener Presents
Producer
Now well into his eighties, Delsener shows little sign of slowing down. At one point, the camera follows him as he ping-pongs across New York attending multiple concerts in one evening. His love for the work of putting on a show shines through as he drags the filmmakers through crowds and backstage so he can chat with artists and crew members. Interspersed with these present-day adventures are looks back on the highlights of Delsener’s career, reflecting his own intense nostalgia. It’s rare that a documentary so completely embodies the personality of its subject.
Ron Delsener Presents
Director
Now well into his eighties, Delsener shows little sign of slowing down. At one point, the camera follows him as he ping-pongs across New York attending multiple concerts in one evening. His love for the work of putting on a show shines through as he drags the filmmakers through crowds and backstage so he can chat with artists and crew members. Interspersed with these present-day adventures are looks back on the highlights of Delsener’s career, reflecting his own intense nostalgia. It’s rare that a documentary so completely embodies the personality of its subject.
Bob of the Park
Writer
Meet Robert "Birding Bob" DiCandido. Friendly Central Park bird walk leader to some, archnemesis to others.
Bob of the Park
Director
Meet Robert "Birding Bob" DiCandido. Friendly Central Park bird walk leader to some, archnemesis to others.
The Eight Chapters of Ramen
Director
American noodle obsessive Ivan Orkin reveals how his ramen became a culinary marvel in Tokyo as he opens his ‘Slurp Shop’ in Hell’s Kitchen, New York.
Fantastic Man
Director
The music of Nigeria’s reclusive synth funk innovator William Onyeabor has reached a new level of exposure via Luaka Bop’s excellent Who Is William Onyeabor? compilation last year, yet many hard facts about Onyeabor’s biography remain elusive. In their new documentary “Fantastic Man,” Noisey speaks with musicians and champions of Onyeabor’s music, including our own Quinton Scott and Duncan Brooker who included the sublime “Better Change Your Mind” on the first Nigeria 70 compilation, about their appreciation for his music, and the search for the facts about his life.
The Back of Her Head
Jake
Josh Safdie made this assured comedy in and around his apartment building when he was still a film student at Boston University. The dioramic setup plays like a vertical REAR WINDOW: a shy daydreamer (played by Safdie) lives above an older Hindi man who lives above a reckless Brit who lives above a girl stuck in a bad relationship. The boy two floors up can only see the back of the girl’s head but that’s enough for a crush to develop. Safdie makes the most out of the single location, deploying dynamic camera angles, wry slapstick and even a couple of crane shots for a whimsical picture of city living.