Her Effortless Brilliance: A celebration of Lynn Shelton through film and music to air tonight on YouTube

by cinemafemme

June 10, 2020

3 min read

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PRESENTERS TO INCLUDE EMILY BLUNT, KAITLYN DEVER, ROSEMARIE DEWITT, THE DUPLASS BROTHERS, JOSHUA LEONARD AND REESE WITHERSPOON AMONG OTHERS
 
FEATURING MUSICAL PERFORMANCES FROM MARC MARON, DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE’S BEN GIBBARD, ANDREW BIRD, LAURA VEIRS, BREATHE OWL BREATHE, TOMO NAKAYAMA AND MANY MORE

SEATTLE, WA (June 10th, 2020) — In honor of beloved filmmaker Lynn Shelton who passed away May 16th, her friends and colleagues have organized an intimate music-driven tribute to Shelton’s life and work. Shelton’s closest collaborators will share words about what working with Lynn meant to them while musicians will perform songs featured in her films. 

The program will air live tonight Wednesday (Humpday!) June 10th on YouTube (https://youtu.be/ybtW1su19Fk) at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT and will be available indefinitely afterwards for people to watch, revisit, and share.

Among the actors slated to speak are Emily Blunt, Kaitlyn Dever, Rosemarie DeWitt, the Duplass Brothers, Jeff Garlin, Joshua Leonard, Sean Nelson, Michaela Watkins, Reese Witherspoon and more.

Musicians scheduled to perform include: Marc Maron, Andrew Bird, Ben Gibbard, Laura Veirs, Tomo Nakayama and many more. There will also be a special ensemble performance from many of the musicians featured in Shelton’s online series about the Seattle music scene “$5 Cover” with artists including Kevin Murphy, Sassy Black, Seth Warren, Ryann Donnelly, Jason Dodson and Brady Harvey.

Megan Griffiths, Lynn’s longtime friend, collaborator and fellow Seattlite, directed the tribute. Mel Eslyn, the Duplass Brothers and Adam Kersh produced with Megan.

“It has been really meaningful to me to work on this project. Lynn was one of my dearest friends and losing her has been leveling,” said Megan Griffiths. “It has given me comfort to focus on celebrating her life by bringing together all of these beautiful performances and hearing the heartfelt words of her many friends and collaborators. I hope it brings solace to her family and all those mourning this unfathomable loss.”

Coming to filmmaking in her mid 30s, Shelton was a major force in American independent cinema and was a pillar of the arts community at large in her home town of Seattle. She was a vibrant, kind, creative human being. Her work drew acclaim for its compassion, humor, unique voice and wonderful performances. Shelton directed eight features including HUMPDAY (2009), YOUR SISTER’S SISTER (2011), OUTSIDE IN (2018), and last year’s SWORD OF TRUST. Shelton also worked in television, directing memorable episodes of acclaimed series including: “Mad Men,” “GLOW,” “The Mindy Project,” and “Little Fires Everywhere.” She is gone too soon and will be deeply missed.

Donations to the Shelton/Seal Family Fund for the Northwest School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children, or Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum are encouraged.

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