Last night the New Hope Cinema Grill hosted the second Noir at the Bar event ever held in the Twin Cities. After the wonderful reception the first event received from the crime fiction loving Minnesota crowd, a second event was less of a question of “if” and more of a question of “when.”
At the first event, it was announced that attendee Anthony Neil Smith’s novel HOGDOGGIN was set to be shot as a feature film directed by event host Paul von Stoetzel. His company Killing Joke Films has partnered with event sponsor Pounding Heart MultiMedia for the film. Of course last night’s NatB featured readings from a fine variety of published authors, but it was also the debut of the HOGDOGGEN film trailer.
Kicking off the evening was Iowa based writer John Kenyon. Kenyon is editor of the fiction magazine GRIFT. A very natural and engaging storyteller, Kenyon read his short story CUT. The d
Readers Anthony Neil Smith, Jed Ayres, and John Kenyon
arkly humorous tale of a hit man lugging around human organs set the tone for the night.
Next up was St. Louis based author Jedidiah Ayres. Ayres is often credited with founding the Noir at the Bar event. Catching on with crime/mystery fans, these events can now be found in cities across the country. He was kind enough to make his first visit to Minnesota for our event. His story HOOSIER DADDY was probably the most unique tale this reporter has ever heard told aloud. It was a tale of music, love, and the lengths a man will go to keep the girl of his dreams. It also has what just may be the most shocking chain of events ever told. Needless to say, Ayres had the crowd howling with delight while wiping tears from their eyes.
Well played, Jed. Well played.
Lastly, Anthony Neil Smith took the stage. Smith chairs the English department at SMSU in southern Minnesota. Reading a piece from HOGDOGGIN, his was a perfect segue to the debut of the movie promo.
Serving as a bridge between the Midwest crime fiction community and the local independent film community, NOIR AT THE BAR: TWIN CITIES is proving to be a unique- and successful- event.
Dan Malmon
