The premiere screening of "Urchin," a movie with cameos by Emmanuel Goldstein and Mark Abene (Phiber Optik), is scheduled for Saturday, February 17 in New York City.

The independent production was written and directed by John Harlacher and was shot illegally in the subways, sewers, and streets of New York City with 24p digital cameras, professional actors, and a handful of crew members. An expert post-production team then added masterful sound design and effects to the footage. The result is a film that has the raw energy of New York City graffiti and the polish of Hollywood. "Urchin" is a prime example of guerrilla cinema made possible by new technology.

The Plot: In a tunnel deep under Manhattan, the Old Man rules the citizens of Scum-City. He swears to lead them to a paradise within the hollow earth once he finds five noble souls; but until then his followers must steal and deal to support him. A terminally ill hunchback named Goliath, crazed by his approaching death, decides to find the five noble souls and present them to the Old Man... by beheading New Yorkers he deems worthy of the honor. Meanwhile, another Scum-City dweller known as The Kid tries to do the Old Man's bidding, tangling with deadly gangsters and eccentric drug dealers — even though The Kid is only nine and his main weapon is a water pistol filled with acid. As both Goliath and The Kid pursue paths they believe will lead to paradise, they rob, kill, and inevitably confront each other in a grand showdown.

If this sounds like your kind of thing, we hope to see you at the premiere, which will be Saturday, February 17 at the Red Room Theater at 85 East 4th Street (between 2nd Avenue and the Bowery) at 10 pm. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by visiting www.SmartTix.com or calling SmartTix at +1 212 868 4444. The film will be showing through March 3 at this location.

For more information on the film and the people behind it, go to www.UrchinTheMovie.com.