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    Studio 35 and Greg Sestero to Celebrate 20 Years of The Room

    Truth be told, Greg Sestero would make the trip to Studio 35 just for the food.

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    “Some of the best pizzas I’ve had,” Sestero says. “The margaritas. I just like hanging out there. And yeah, get a chance to meet people and talk about the movie.”

    That movie, of course, is The Room, writer/director Tommy Wiseau’s you’ve-got-to-see-it-to-believe-it opus that has been a cult phenomenon now for two decades. Sestero, Wiseau’s co-star and best friend during the shoot, chronicled the filming in his book The Disaster Artist, which James Franco adapted for his 2017 film of the same name.

    To celebrate the milestone, Sestero is coming back to Studio 35 on April 7 for a 20th anniversary screening, featuring his live commentary during the film and a Q&A and meet-and-greet session afterward.

    Sestero says to expect a mix of riffing and informing during his commentary.

    “There are also little tidbits I’ve collected over the years from different screenings that people might not know of. So, it’ll be a mix of things,” he says. “It’s sort of experimental, but the last few times I’ve done it, it’s been really fun because it kind of opens up the audience to be like, ‘So what happened here? What did you think about this scene?’ It turns into like a big watch amongst just a group of people.”

    And Sestero says the group experience was instrumental is turning the film into the must-see pop culture touchstone it has become.

    “These film students discovered it,” he explains. “And they saw reviews that said, ‘Watching this film is like getting stabbed in the head.’ Like, we got to see this! And they saw something in that movie right away. I mean, they were calling their friends, and it just brought people in and kept it alive in LA.”

    “Then it like spread to New York,” Sestero remembers. “Word of mouth is the most valuable thing you can have on your side when it comes to film and art. That’s why you try to do trailers and billboards and you’ve got TikTok and all that. But, when people genuinely take to a film and push it on their own accord, that is the ultimate gift. It’s just cool that The Room has done that for generations now.”

    The night may also feature a teaser promo for Sestero’s new project, a UFO abduction movie called Forbidden Sky, which he plans to film in Roswell, New Mexico. Sestero’s current film, Miracle Valley (“A true story about a cult”), is available now on Tubi, but he says The Room is a welcome chance to get out and have some fun.

    “There’s nothing like being in the theater,” he says. “Meeting people who have read your story, have watched your story, and getting a chance to meet them and talk about the other endeavors you’re into – that’s why I first came to Columbus. And then it was like, okay, now for the 20th, we got to figure out something to reward all these amazing fans for supporting us. This would be the year to revisit it and see how this thing has changed your life, look back on it, make it kind of a communal celebration.”

    Maybe the avid film fan has seen The Room before but, “You haven’t seen it until you see it in the theater with an audience,” Sestero says. “And that’s the epitome of what you want when you go to the movies.”

    Throw in some pizza and a margarita, and Sestero’s excited about his return to Cbus.

    “I’m always stoked to come back. I can’t wait!” he says.

    Greg Sestero will be a Studio 35 April 7 for a 20th anniversary screening of The Room. Info and tickets at studio35.com.

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    George Wolf
    George Wolf
    George Wolf is a member of the Columbus Film Critics Assoc. and a freelance contributor for Columbus Underground covering film. George can also be heard on Columbus radio stations Rewind 103.5, Sunny 95, QFM96 and Mix 107.9.
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