Marlene Roberts
Staff Writer

TALK ABOUT AN intergenerational film. The filmmakers are Mark Ostrick and Ezra Soiferman, both recent graduates of the New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. The featured actors in their movie "Pressure Drop" are Felix Fibich and Mina Bern, veterans of the Yiddish stage and screen.

The short film (18 minutes) blends the marijuana culture of youth as it is acted out by an eclectic group of senior citizens and an elderly Jewish man with glaucoma who joins them - purely for medicinal purposes. What results is a funny and a bit bizarre film. It's nice to see how well the filmmakers have the diverse people interact (under the influence) on real and surreal levels.

"The idea came to us while we were sitting around at 3 a.m. One night," said Ostrick, a resident of Miami and a graduate of the New World School for the Performing Arts.

"We figured we'd probably wind up puffing on hookahs and listening to old Bob Marley LP's" said Soiferman tongue in cheek, "just like out grandparents - and their grandparents before them."

In the Spring of 1994, Warner Bros. Pictures awarded "Pressure Drop" a grant to aid in its post-production. The film has gone on to being accepted and honored at several film festivals including: The New Orleans Film & Video Festival (Winner: Lagniappe Short Film Award,) the Boston Jewish Film Festival, the Columbus International Film Festival (Honorable Mention - Student Competition,) the Chicago International Film Festival (Winner: Silver Plaque - Student Competition) and the Montreal Too Funny For Words Comedy Film Festival.

The film, "Pressure Drop" will be shown on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. At the Alliance Alternative Space. Following "Pressure Drop", Martin Scorcese's film "Italian American" will be screened.