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Pittsburgh Sound + Image is honored to present a film as moving as it is obscure: David D. Williams' 1997 year-in-the-life odyssey Thirteen. Presented from one of very few 16mm prints, borrowed from the Museum of Modern Art. This special event is co-programmed with Marta Zeamanuel, who writes of the film: 

"What begins as the fraught tale of a runaway’s disappearance evolves into an unexpectedly compassionate story about Nina, a 13-year-old girl who, while exploring independence, discovers the supportive network of her community. A rarely depicted level of trust and respect for young people permeates these relationships, with no one batting an eye when Nina says that she left home because she "wanted to be by myself for a few." Nina’s mother, friends, and neighbors rally around her to encourage her ambitions, specifically her precocious obsession with buying a car; to save money for it, she seeks multiple jobs, from portrait sitter to dog groomer, even interviewing at a real estate agency, where her lack of experience doesn’t hinder her resolve. Throughout her industrious pursuits, Nina comes into her own in lovingly shot scenes of daily life that reveal a tender, introspective teenager. Filmed without a script by a crew of three people over the course of a year, Thirteen brims with ease and intimacy. Nina’s growth is lyrically observed as the seasons change—nestling herself to rest in a pile of autumn leaves during a sojourn in the mountains or tending to an infant amid a backdrop of blooming spring flowers." 

“Thirteen is the sort of cinema that I suppose I covet most, wish I knew how to make, and don't expect to see the likes of on this Earth again anytime soon…”

- Andrew Bujalski, Director of Support the Girls and Computer Chess

“Every time I have seen Thirteen with an audience, it has cast its spell. We are freed of contrivance, and allowed into lives. It is one of the truest films I’ve seen about the ebb and flow of a real relationship."

- Roger Ebert

“A triumph of understatement - modest and thoughtful, homespun and humanist.”

- J. Hoberman, The Village Voice

“Thirteen reminds you how mysterious and complex individual character really is. It’s a fascinating portrait of a shy, strong-willed girl whose mind is churning as she tries to figure out the world and her future."

- Stephen Holden, The New York Times

"A very special work of handcrafted regional cinema that feels uniquely intimate and poetic in its collaborative character-study portraiture and evocative sense of place.”

- Eric Allen Hatch, Co-founder of the New/Next Film Festival and Beyond Video

Directed by David D. Williams 

1997 | USA | English language | 16mm

Concessions

Concessions are available for all screenings and the Harris Theater is now BYOB. Guests who bring alcoholic beverages must be 21 years or older and provide valid photo ID upon request, a $5 charge will be issued per guest.