Maryland Film Festival Blog

PING PONG SUMMER

We’re pleased to announce that MFF 2014’s incredibly popular PING PONG SUMMER starring Susan Sarandon, Marcello Conte, John Hannah, Lea Thompson, Amy Sedaris, Robert Longstreet, Myles Massey and Judah Friedlander will return to Baltimore for two screenings on Saturday 6/7 at the Charles Theater at 1pm and 9pm. This film was a big hit at this year’s Sundance and SXSW festivals and was one of the biggest hits of MFF 2014 – in case you missed it at our festival this year or would like to see it again – here is your chance!

Director Michael Tully will be in town to introduce the film and do a Q & A after the 1pm and 9pm screenings, and will also be throwing out the first pitch at the Orioles game on Saturday 6/7 at Camden Yards!

SCREENING INFO:
PING PONG SUMMER
Saturday, June 7th
1pm and 9pm
The Charles Theater
1711 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD
Click here for more information on the Charles Theater website.

PING PONG SUMMER SYNOPSIS:
(from the MFF 2014 Program Book)
Ocean City, Maryland is not just any beach resort. It has a very specific feel – exuberant, raucously commercial, and totally unpretentious. In 1985, it must have meant everything to the young Michael Tully, because as he began to form his artistic vision as a filmmaker, he never forgot it. The place and time of this loving, often hilarious film are defined with the deep understanding and precision that is essential to great moviemaking. But, in the spirit of this time and place, Ping Pong Summer tells a story with a clear eye and zero pretension. There are beautiful and therefore unattainable girls and mentoring neighbors, but there are also racist bullies and clueless adults. Mostly, there are arcade games and ping pong, and lots of music.

All of this is seen through the 13 year old eyes of Radford “Rad” Miracle, effortlessly portrayed by newcomer Marcello Conte. Rad is hoping for some way to prove himself, and that’s where ping pong and hip hop come in. The cast is full of seasoned performers like Amy Sedaris, Susan Sarandon, Lea Thompson, and Robert Longstreet–who fit in as though they’ve been going “downy ocean” for years. And the music, the music! The perfect complement to a movie that feels as though it was actually made in 1985, the tunes will have you clicking your fingers and humming along.