Project Moonshine Developing the Next Generation of Filmmakers1-775-560-3326
michael.albright@projectmoonshine.org

Sonic Youth: Sleeping Nights Awake

In the summer of 2006, a group of seven high school students from Reno, NV set out to make a documentary on Sonic Youth. As part of a non-profit organization called ‘Project Moonshine’, these teens were given cameras and a few days of training and set loose to record a day in the life of Sonic Youth.   Shot on location in Reno, NV on the 4th of July, this intimate verite documentary is a behind the scenes look at one of the most influential indie bands of all time and contains some of the most insightful and candid concert footage ever recorded.  Shot in glorious black and white, highlights in the set include ‘Tom Violence,’ ‘Shaking Hell,’ ‘Mote,’ ‘Incinerate’ and ‘Kool Thing.’  Additionally, the documentary contains rare interviews with Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo as well as their guitar techs and sound engineers. Filled with behind-the-scenes interviews, original performances and a little basketball, this film shares the enveloping experience of a Sonic Youth concert unraveling before our eyes. The result is a point of view that is authentically refreshing; a unique situation that allows the students to approach the band with an honesty and innocence that’s hard to find in veteran documentary filmmakers.


About Us
Project Moonshine is a non-profit organization designed to teach filmmaking skills to students by providing opportunities to document important events happening in their community. Started in 2006, Project Moonshine has made documentaries on a variety of subjects including, Sonic Youth, Califone, Tour de Nez, Artown, Nevada Beekeepers, Orchestra Baobab and Dada Motel. Although Project Moonshine is not exclusively based in Reno, Nevada, most of our projects focus on events happening in Northern Nevada. Over the years, Project Moonshine has flourished as an arts organization that combines a fresh approach to education, documentary production and civic engagement.