Please join us Tuesday, February 16 for a screening of the film Tumbledown, directed by Princeton alumnus Sean Mewshaw ’97 and written & produced by alumna Desi Van Til ’99.
Tumbledown is a comedic love story with a serious soul about Hannah (Rebecca Hall) who has been struggling to write the biography of her late husband, an acclaimed musician with a devoted following (voiced by Damien Jurado), while taking refuge with the protective locals in her Maine hometown. Things begin to change when she meets Andrew (Jason Sudeikis), a brash New York academic with an obsession for tragic artists and a different take on her husband. Though Hannah is skeptical of his motives, the unlikely pair strike up a deal to collaborate on the book, forcing them to confront truths about themselves and the possibility that the next chapter in their lives may be written together.
The screening begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Princeton Garden Theater at 160 Nassau St. in Princeton, followed by a discussion with the filmmakers. The screening and discussion are free and open to the public but ticket reservations are recommended — reserve tickets here …
The son of an author, Sean Mewshaw ’97 was raised in Rome, Italy. He graduated from Princeton with degrees in English Literature and Theater, then headed for Los Angeles where over the course of a decade spent working film production on sets small and large, he was lucky to be mentored by some of his cinematic heroes, such as Philippe Rousselot, Martin Scorsese, Michael Ballhaus, and Gary Winick. With his wife Desi, Sean adapted James Salter’s story “Last Night” as a short film starring Frances McDormand. Founding his own production shingle, Sean directed, shot, and edited commercials, shorts, and behind-the-scenes features for clients such as The Upright Citizens Brigade, Think Film, IBM, the United Nations, and Indian Motorcycles. Sean and Desi moved to Portland, Maine to make their feature film debut Tumbledown, and chose to remain there to raise their children. There they collaborate on future films while Sean keeps the gears greased directing site-specific theater productions, most recently Rajiv Joseph’s Gruesome Playground Injuries, Tracy Letts’ Killer Joe, and Stephen Karam’s Speech&Debate.
Desi Van Til ’99, a native of Farmington, Maine, studied English Literature at Princeton University, then enjoyed a post-graduate cinema-intensive year in Paris on a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship before moving to Los Angeles to work in film. She learned the ropes from mentor Greg Silverman at Revolution Studios and Warner Brothers, then spent five years as VP of Development for producers Donna Roth and Susan Arnold. Desi associate-produced Gary Winick’s 13 Going on 30 starring Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo, as well as Judd Apatow’s Drillbit Taylor starring Owen Wilson. She adapted and produced the short film Last Night, starring Frances McDormand. Desi moved to Maine with her husband, director Sean Mewshaw, to produce the comedic love story Tumbledown from her original screenplay. She lives in Portland, Maine with Sean and their children Arden and Emerson.
