Slamdance Film Festival 2010

Branding, addiction, sneaker culture and legal infringement are explored when artist/designer Ari Saal Forman mash-ups the lively Newport cigarette brand into a cool “Nike-like” sneaker. Shot at the height of the sneaker movement in 2006 and in present day, the short film reveals how trends quickly turn and how these urban expressionists compete even harder to stand out. Sneaker collectors soon face their own (cigarette like) addictions and Ari gets a legal gag for his clever design. The “alive with pleasure” moment that “legally never happened”, is presented with before and after accounts.

John Carluccio is a Brooklyn based filmmaker whose work documents unique pockets of urban society.  He has had over 20 films appear nationally on CURRENT TV. He has shot for MSG, MTV, BET and TLC.  Presently, Carluccio documents unexplored news topics as a Producer at Brooklyn Independent Television.

This film “doesn’t exist”… sort of.  Designer Ari was legally prevented from talking about his colorful experiment soon into the production. So a story from a person who “can’t talk about” created a challenge, and equally a ripe opportunity to structure a clever story.