D: Katy Grannan | USA | 98 min | U.S. PREMIERE
The Nine depicts the hustling desperation of a small community (nicknamed “The Nine”) living the antithesis of the American Dream on Modesto’s South Ninth Street. The film is a rare view into a very real and brutal world where prostitution and addiction are the norm. Yet, told through the child-like voice of Kiki – the film’s narrator and main character – this reality recedes into themes of fantasy, escape, and the possibility that tomorrow will be better. The Nine is not a film about prostitution, poverty, or addiction; instead, it is a quiet and lyrical portrait of an isolated and forgotten community that is yearning to be heard.
Filmmaker and Producer Marc Smolowitz in attendance
