Gallup to get ‘Village Barbershop’

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Staff writer

GALLUP — El Morro Theatre in downtown Gallup is sponsoring another Independent Film Week, giving local audiences a chance to see an indie film that would never otherwise make it to the big screen in Gallup.

“The Village Barbershop,” staring John Ratzenberger of “Cheers” and Shelly Cole of “Gilmore Girls,” will open on Friday, Jan. 16 and run through Thursday, Jan. 22. The film will show each evening at 7 p.m., and admission is $5. “The Village Barbershop” is not rated; however, the film does feature adult language and subject material.

The film, by first-time writer/director/producer Chris Ford, won Best Actress award at 2008’s Newport Beach Film Festival and Audience Award Best Feature at the Cinequest Film Festival. Co-producer Jason Newmark has been involved in film projects as “The Proposition,” “Next Stop Wonderland,” Walking Up in Reno,” and “The Deep End.”

“The Village Barbershop” tells the odd couple story of Art Leroldi (Ratzenberger), a crusty old barber in downtown Reno whose longtime business partner has just died, and Gloria (Cole), a pregnant young woman who has just been dumped by her boyfriend, who barges into Leroldi’s life. Ford bills his film as a “humorous, sweet story of a fading old man who’s lost his way and a determined young woman looking to find hers.”

In its review, “Variety” called “The Village Barbershop” a “cannily low-key charmer,” and said the film “is precisely the sort of movie people who no longer go to movies often complain ‘they just don’t make anymore.’”

Information: El Morro, (505) 726-0050.