Grad’s film to premiere at 2012 Sundance Festival

Playtime (Spielzeit), a film produced by Harvard Extension School graduate Ryan Slattery, A.L.B. ’09, has been selected to screen at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival International Shorts program in Park City, Utah, January 19 through 29. Slattery’s film is one of only 64 short films selected from a record 7,675 submissions for this year’s Sundance Short Film program.

“This is one of the greatest achievements for a filmmaker,” comments Slattery on the selection. “We’re excited for the opportunity to be a part of it.”

The film was inspired by Billy Wilder’s 1930 People on Sunday (Menschen am Sonntag) and is described as a seamless journey through German youth and innocence on a Sunday afternoon. Says Slattery, “It focuses on the innocence of youth and the appreciation of the simple things in life. It is an adorable film; it’s funny and heartwarming, yet piquant and full of life.”

“How wonderful for Ryan’s film to be selected by the Sundance Festival. He showed great promise here at Harvard Extension School, in particular when he wrote, produced, and directed for one of his courses At Ease, a stirring film about the military’s ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy,” says Suzanne Spreadbury, associate dean and director of undergraduate degree programs. “Ryan worked incredibly hard at Harvard Extension and took advantage of every possible resource. All that effort is paying off! We are very proud to have him among our graduates.”

Follow the film on Twitter: @playtimefilm, and to learn more about the film project, including comments from the writer and producer, visit KICKSTARTER.