If you’ve been paying attention to the independent music scene recently, you likely already known the name Willis Earl Beal. The songwriter attracted some notice after leaving CD-Rs of his recordings around Albuquerque, and soon buzz began to build, leading to a record contract. Three albums and multiple EPs later, Beal has expanded into acting by taking a role in "Memphis," which premiered at the Venice Film Festival last year. And now that the film is headed to theatres, we have an exclusive clip from the movie.
Written and directed by Tim Sutton ("Pavilion"), the fragmentary film follows a talented musician drifting through the titular city, opting for self-discovery instead of recording music. And as you’ll see in this clip, Beal’s character’s daydreaming gets under the skin of those eager for him to perform.
"Memphis" is now playing in New York City at the IFC Center and opens on September 12th in LA at the Sundance Sunset Cinemas with a national rollout to follow. Check out the clip and trailer for the film below.