San Anselmo native shows surreal, inspiring documentary at the Rafael

How do you celebrate underground, avant-garde filmmaking except with an underground, avant-garde film?

It's a thought that San Anselmo native, Jennifer Kroot (whose father, Jeff, is on the San Anselmo Town Council) has had since she first realized George Kuchar was her film teacher at the San Francisco Art Institute.

"At first, I was in shock – happy shock," she said.

Twin brothers George and Mike Kuchar were at the forefront of the underground film movement in the 1960s, with wildly surreal but funny and human movies – including films like I Was A Teenage Rumpot. Though relatively unknown, the brothers inspired a wealth of filmmakers like John Waters and Buck Henry.

"They're interesting, quirky, charming characters. And they're so publicly unknown," said Kroot.

This Sunday, Kroot will show her documentary It Came From Kuchar, following the innovative filmmaking brothers, at the Rafael Theater. The film, which has been shown widely in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Seattle, is celebrating its Marin premiere at 6:30 p.m.

The New York Times called it "fascinating" and The New York Daily News said, "the world just got a little more perfect (and not a moment too soon) thanks to Jennifer M. Kroot and her lavish, hilarious, and luminary-filled feature."

George Kuchar will show his new short films following the movie and both he and Kroot will answer questions after the screening.

"It's the Marin premiere, so it's the most exciting premiere of all," said Kroot.

Kroot, a Drake High School graduate, first headed to Cal Poly to study psychology, but couldn't avoid the draw of filmmaking. She watched tons of small movies and haunted art house theaters – citing Repo Man as one of her favorites – before heading to the San Francisco Art Institute, where Kuchar was her teacher.

Though this is Kroot's first documentary, her past films would have made her teacher proud. Her feature film Sirens of the 23rd Century – self-described as "low-budget, sci-fi satire, feminist camp" – was a unique and experimental movie shown at a number of festivals.

Next up, Kroot hopes to work on another documentary about a science-fiction iceon and civil rights activist.

For more information about It Came from Kuchar, visit the website. Purchase tickets for this Sunday's screening here.