
1988
The narrative unfolds as a timid young man, Cal, arrives for a date at the penthouse of June whose house resembles a whimsical modern art installation almost like Pee-Wee's Playhouse. He offers her roses, only to have them immediately rejected. What follows is a series of absurd, slapstick-inspired events—breaking a decorative bust, accidentally putting a fish in the June’s drink—that culminate in Cal posing shirtless on her indoor “beach” set, sparking June's creative epiphany and leading her to photograph him for a Vogue ad campaign. This short film was created in 1987 under the mentorship of Martin Scorsese while Gruber was a student at Columbia Film School, and has since earned a place in exhibitions at New York’s MoMA, cementing its status as a noteworthy artistic work.

Matt Mitler
Cal

Molly Kohler-Pei
June

Mick Muldoon
Newsstand Operator

Steve Bratman
Newsstand Patron

Valerie Bouchy
Newsstand Patron

Hop Off

Hubby’s Quiet Little Game

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

Home Alone

Miss Queen Thailand 2

Sith Wat Wing Na Tang

The Mask

The Pink Panther

Madagascar

Laurel & Hardy: Their Lives and Magic

New News

Ghost Variety

Tom Yum Keng

The Vexxer

STAY COOL

The Boulder Theory

Sherlock Jr.

Pieces of April

Fools Among Us

The Count