FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 10, 2001

Upstairs Film, a not for profit film cooperative founded in Tucson, Arizona in 1994, is pleased to announce that its first feature length film documentary is in production. The film’s working title is High and Dry.

The documentary is a retrospective, featuring an array of Tucson musicians, personalities and bands that have shaped the music scene since the late 1970’s until today. With a semi-organic scope, the documentary is a stylized view of the ups and downs of a music scene within the dynamics of a Southwestern college town. With amazing diversity among the local musicians, the Tucson music scene has become the one of the most influential in the Southwest. The behind the scenes footage, rare live performances and one-on-one interviews with the director are compelling enough to make any music fan want to move to Arizona.

Shooting in Tucson began at the beginning of 2001, following six months of pre-production in Los Angeles. The film’s director, Michael Toubassi is a ten-year resident of the music and film community in Arizona. His credits include two short films (“Harvest”, “Number 13” completed from ‘97-’99), producing Multi Media Mondays at Hotel Congress as well as the highly proclaimed Flash Frame Short Film screening series in Tucson. The film’s co-producers are Chris Wagganer and Douglas Woods, two veterans of the Tucson music scene now residing in Los Angeles. Several Arizona cinematographers such as David M. Gil (Bisbee), Anna Lee Keefer (Phoenix), Andrew Charles Dunn (Tucson) and Lewis Fowler (Nogales) are also lending their talents to the project. Interviews are still being conducted in Tucson as well as in Los Angeles, New York, Austin, San Francisco and Phoenix.

A double CD compilation containing music by artists featured in the production will be released concurrently with the movie’s debut screening in Tucson and Los Angeles. The record is scheduled to include artists such as, River Roses, Supersuckers and Al Perry & The Cattle, among others. In addition, a web site at, www.upstairsfilm.com featuring the amazing Fonda’s Family Tree, is currently in construction under the design direction of David Hostetler. Donations from individuals and corporations in Tucson, Phoenix and Los Angeles are being solicited to help expedite the completion of the film.

Interviews, director/producer stills and film production photos are available by request. For further media information, please contact (602)692-0399.