Film
by Alex Sheremet

TRAILER: “From There to There – Bruce Ario, the Minneapolis Poet” (2024)

A film poster for Alex Sheremet's and Joel Parrish's first film, "From There to There: Bruce Ario, the Minneapolis Poet", on the life and work and Bruce Ario. It features the title and subtitle, a sunlike object in the sky, and a male figure walking down a snowy Minneapolis scene.

Bruce Ario (1955 – 2022) was a poet and novelist from Minneapolis. A car accident and traumatic brain injury in his mid-20s forced Bruce to drop out of law school, which was followed by a period of homelessness, drug addiction, and mental illness. His health began to improve with a religious awakening, therapy, volunteer work (which included time in Haiti), and, most importantly to Bruce and his legacy, a lifelong interest in art.

From There to There: Bruce Ario, the Minneapolis Poet is a documentary film on Bruce’s life and work. It is shot in Minneapolis, where Bruce Ario spent his life, and depicts scenes from Bruce’s writing and unique point of view. It features interviews with artists and others who knew him while showcasing Bruce’s artistic achievements to a major audience.

More details can be found on FilmFreeway

A poet first, Bruce Ario created the “ario” poetic form, which includes 3 stanzas of 3 lines each, followed by a final line. His poems tap plain speech and startling juxtapositions of image and thought, giving his poetry an everyman feel that many readers have come to love. Bruce is also author of the coming-of-age novel, Cityboy, which his literary executor, Dan Schneider, has painstakingly reconstructed to its original, rarely-seen version from the 1990s.

wATCH THE FILM Trailer

Watch an extended discussion of Bruce Ario’s life and work with Bruce’s literary executor, Bruce’s brother, and the filmmaker.

Our GoFundMe fundraiser helps cover some costs associated with the project: video equipment, travel expenses, advertising, labor and production. Any additional money raised is being used to fund the publication of Bruce Ario’s books, which have now been restored for the first time.

Meet The Filmmakers

Black and white photos of the filmmakers Alex Sheremet and Joel Parrish, in portrait.

Alex Sheremet is a poet, critic, novelist, and videographer from New York City. He runs the automachination YouTube channel and this literary magazine, for which Bruce Ario wrote.

Joel Parrish is a poet and photographer from Michigan. He also provides voice work for the film. Joel’s poetry and photos can be found on his website.

Gallery: Film Stills

A still from Alex Sheremet's and Joel Parrish's first film, "From There To There: Bruce Ario, The Minneapolis Poet". It features a fish-eye lens of a bridge over the Mississippi River at night, as described in Bruce Ario's novel, "Cityboy".

A still from Alex Sheremet's and Joel Parrish's first film, "From There To There: Bruce Ario, The Minneapolis Poet". It features a prostitute's legs in nylons, as described in Bruce Ario's novel, "Cityboy".

Bruce Ario's Minneapolis, as depicted in Alex Sheremet's and Joel Parrish's film, "From There To There: Bruce Ario, The Minneapolis Poet".

A still from Alex Sheremet's and Joel Parrish's first film, "From There To There: Bruce Ario, The Minneapolis Poet". It features a character gesturing to the Minneapolis day outside of his window, as described in Bruce Ario's novel, "Cityboy".

A still from Alex Sheremet's and Joel Parrish's first film, "From There To There: Bruce Ario, The Minneapolis Poet". It features two men's lower halves in winter, as they stand in front of a reflecting door, as described in Bruce Ario's novel, "Cityboy".

A still from Alex Sheremet's and Joel Parrish's first film, "From There To There: Bruce Ario, The Minneapolis Poet". It features a brightly-lit alley at night, as described in Bruce Ario's novel, "Cityboy".

A still from Alex Sheremet's and Joel Parrish's first film, "From There To There: Bruce Ario, The Minneapolis Poet". It features a black man standing before a stone pillar in Minneapolis, as described in Bruce Ario's novel, "Cityboy".

A still from Alex Sheremet's and Joel Parrish's first film, "From There To There: Bruce Ario, The Minneapolis Poet". It features pigeons against a deep red, cloudy sky, as described in Bruce Ario's novel, "Cityboy".

A still from Alex Sheremet's and Joel Parrish's first film, "From There To There: Bruce Ario, The Minneapolis Poet". It features a black and white window with a curtain, with bright daylight in Minneapolis, as described in Bruce Ario's novel, "Cityboy".

A still from Alex Sheremet's and Joel Parrish's first film, "From There To There: Bruce Ario, The Minneapolis Poet". It features a great Minneapolis tree, with bright daylight and deep blue skies, as described in Bruce Ario's novel, "Cityboy".

A still from Alex Sheremet's and Joel Parrish's first film, "From There To There: Bruce Ario, The Minneapolis Poet". It features two bright lights on a string in a Minneapolis alley, as described in Bruce Ario's novel, "Cityboy".