Can he run away from his life, or will his friends drag him back into it?

Larger version of the above pic from the Seattle International Film Festival Guidebook. Includes a nice synopsis of the film.

A musical clip from The Bellows with scenes from the film

Filmmaker Alex Harty (Jeremy Sisto), has always considered himself a "tortured artist"-but it's not until his wife dies in a car accident that he learns the term's true meaning. Still saddled with grief two years after her death, Alex's once-promising career has come to a standstill. After assaulting a smarmy studio exec (Garry Marshall) with a Mont Blanc pen in Los Angeles, Alex returns to his hometown of San Francisco with little more than his beloved Mercury Comet, and a tape recording of his wife's last phone message. Once in the Bay Area, Alex re-acquaints himself with a wide array of characters, including a photographer who's stalking her ex-boyfriend (Poppy Montgomery), a San Francisco socialite who fancies herself as a patron of the arts (Alex Kingston), and the now grown-up French girl (Clara Bellar) who spent her childhood summers as his neighbor. Several misadventures culminate in Alex reaching a clearer understanding of his grief, one that allows him to break through his "torture" and return to his art.

*2000 Santa Monica Film Festival - Moxie! Award for Best Comedy*

"Thoughtful, romantic and funny, THIS SPACE BETWEEN US is an affecting portrayal of a young man and his journey from sorrow back into light." 1999 Seattle International Film Festival

"[This Space Between Us is] a clever and poignant dramedy...about a grieving young filmmaker who returns to the Bay Area from Los Angeles and reconnects with the eccentric group of friends he had left behind. The packed house gave local filmmaker Leutwyler high marks for creating an engaging, entertaining film." Jeff Ross, SF Indie Fest

"You get a mixed bag here, there's some raunchy humor and then there's the softer side showing a man trying to move on after the death of the woman he truly loved. Jeremy Sisto is an amazing talent and he really shines here as does the rest of the cast. If you enjoy the genre do not miss seeing this film, it is highly entertaining." Patrick Ricketts, Video Views.org

"Jeremy Sisto is captivating." CinemaPop.com

"[This Space Between Us is] a surprisingly fresh dramedy..." Kathleen Skillicorn, San Francisco Indie Fest

"The voice over by Alex drives the movie with its self-aware irony, packing a realistic punch." 1999 Wine Country Film Festival, Sonoma, California

"Moving gracefully from comedy to drama and back again, This Space Between Us has a sexy, freewheeling spirit...pathos and Hollywood satire mix surprisingly well, with "Space" taking on more shape and meaning as it goes on...It's also a solid vehicle for the talents of Jeremy Sisto, who gives a soulful edge to the basically sullen outlook of pic's protag..." Ken Eisner, Variety

"...the journey of self discovery in This Space Between Us feels fresh and unique. Leutwyler's ability as a director shines through, with locations feeling like characters and characters feeling like people. And the actors all provide excellent potrayals of characters that are likeable, flawed and human. The identifiability that seems almost inate to Leutwyler as a storyteller and Sisto as an actor are to be marvelled at." Taylor, Very and Absolutely And Extremely, Blogspot.com

Lisa (Kate Donnellon, who is singing the song you're hearing)

"I enjoyed it...Living close enough to San Francisco to make a day of it, I always enjoy seeing the city in a movie. Makes the film more real for me if I have actual points of reference to follow. This movie shows it off left and right." DarkChia, IMDb

"...a tautly directed comedy..." San Francisco Examiner

Garry Marshall

"A hot young cast makes this offbeat comedy infinitely watchable." Richard T. Ryan, Kalamazoo Gazette

"The movie floats on the charm of its attractive cast and irresistable locations." San Francisco Magazine

"THIS SPACE BETWEEN US is a prototype genre-bender, both a drama that doesn't take itself too seriously and a comedy that doesn't try to downplay the gravity of its characters' plights. That's not an easy line to toe, but SPACE manages to touch on all corners without losing either its taste for honesty or sense of romanticism." Mr. Billy.com

"This is an amazing movie. Profound and inward-searching at the same time as it is bubbling, humorous and life-affirming. It's an extremely heartfelt and soulful performance by Jeremy Sisto, which has left a deep and unforgettable impression on me." Anja Bohn, DVD Universe

"I simply LOVED it. IT's a very sweet movie, the entire cast is wonderful...I strongly recommend it!" Kris Frenzel, Yahoo!

May this day be over soon.
The game feels endless, but I will be someone.
Roll the dice. They cannot fail me twice
But time is never on my side.
Just an ordinary life.
But darling, this day looks just like you. Too bright.
Roses are red but you're so cold.
And maybe my dreams are no good.
And what we feel is all in our heads.
Dream clouds that disappear.
They're running out the door.
Hey we slowly make it.
Through this ordinary life.
And darling this day looks just like you. Too bright.
My eyes, my heart, my soul, my home.
I am standing on the edge, as this space between us grows.
This is all that I am as the cards will surely show.
Yes, I learned to grow distant, and I learned to be
the shadow to your light.
Time is never on my side.
Just an ordinary life.
Darling, this day looks just like you. Too bright.
My heart. My eyes. My hands. My voice. My home. My soul.
My life. My life.

Paradise Lounge, SF, CA

I've recently realized that one of the reasons I love this film so much is that it takes place (and was filmed entirely in) San Francisco and Marin County. San Francisco has always been my favorite big city, ever since I lived in Stockton and made a once or twice weekly on-the-job commute into the bustling business district. SF has a lot of personality as well as culture, and this film really makes great use of the city as an important "character". The Pritikin Mansion on Chenery Street fills the role of Peternelle's home. Nightspots like The Elysium Cafe and The Paradise Lounge are showcased as well. The Golden Gate Bridge, of course, gets plenty of facetime too. At night, the city takes on a much sexier personality, as I hope these landscape photos illustrate. Enjoy!

"THAT FILM CREW you saw on Chenery Street last month, in front of the secluded Pritikin Mansion, was from Faultline Pictures, a Potrero Hill movie production company. The film they're making is called The Space Between Us, and stars Jeremy Sisto as a "tortured artist" who returns to his San Francisco hometown after losing his wife in a car accident. The Faultline people says it is scheduled for release the end of this year." From the Noe Valley News, July/Aug. 1998

A gorgeous panoramic view of SF at night

Bay Bridge at night

Pictures of the Cypress Club restaurant at the time of this film.

POSTERS

original poster (1999)

New poster (2001)

Song: "Bright" by Hopscotch (Kate Donnellon and Johannes Luley), featured in the film. Lyrics by K. Donnellon and S. Cohen.

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