Just prior to its theatrical release, Bart Layton’s American Animals played to a sold out crowd at The Turf Club at The William Vale in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This special sneak preview screening was part of the 2018 season of Rooftop Films. The film was preceded by a set by Tall Juan, that we sadly missed, and followed by a Q&A with the director and members of the cast.

American Animals had its world premiere in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. The film marks Layton’s first foray into narrative features. Until recently, the British director/producer was known for his documentary work, including his BAFTA Award-winning film The Imposter (2012), which also had its premiere at Sundance.

American Animals isn’t your typical narrative feature. Based on actual events, the film details the now infamous “Transy Book Heist”. Spencer Reinhard (Barry Keoghan) and Warren Lipka (Evan Peters) are childhood friends who have just started college in their hometown of Lexington, Kentucky. Spencer is studying art at Transylvania University, while Warren is on an athletic scholarship at the University of Kentucky. Both have become disillusioned with their current situations, and are looking for some sort of life-altering experience. They latch-on to the idea of stealing rare and valuable books, including John James Audubon’s Birds of America, from Transylvania University’s Special Collections Library. Spencer, who first floated the concept, didn’t think it would actually come to pass, but Warren becomes a man obsessed, seeing it as his ticket out of a life of normalcy. They enlist two other friends, Eric Borsuk and Chas Allen II (played by Jared Abrahamson and Blake Jenner, respectively), to hop aboard what is now a runaway train that Warren is piloting.

What makes American Animals different from other narratives is that the actual men who lived the botched heist appear in the film and assist with the storytelling. This has led some film journalists to judge the film more like a documentary and reject it based on their disdain for the real-life men, who did end up going to jail. However, we found the story structure and the integration of the subjects allowed a deeper connection with the characters, as well as enhanced the film’s sociological themes. What drove these men to commit this senseless crime? What role did group dynamics play? Then, there are issues of trust. Can we trust that these men are telling the truth? And, do they even trust their own memory of what went down.

During the Rooftop Films Q&A, the filmmaker was joined by Barry Keoghan and Blake Jenner, as well as the real-life criminals the film was based on, Spencer, Warren, Eric and Chas. The group discussed how the script was written based on correspondence between the filmmaker and the guys while they were in prison. Layton also explained his choice to use more movie tropes and references to other films as the story progressed and the foursome went deeper into the planning stages of the crime. He also joked that the guys envisioned they were living Oceans 11, but in reality, things went down more like Dog Day Afternoon.

After the Q&A concluded, the chairs were removed, and, in typical Rooftop Films fashion, an after-party ensued with beverages supplied by Corona Extra, Ketel One, and Fever-Tree Tonic.

Rooftop Films goers also didn’t go home empty-handed. Everyone in attendance received a souvenir American Animals Coloring Book. It features illustrations by Spencer Reinhard that tie back to the film.

Distributed by The Orchard and MoviePass, American Animals is now in theaters. Check out the trailer below and go here to find out where it’s playing.

As for the 2018 season of Rooftop Films, it runs through August 25 and features a mix of free and paid screenings. Standouts of this year’s slate include The Miseducation of Cameron Post (July 31), We the Animals (July 27), Crystal Moselle’s Skate Kitchen (TBA), Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher’s SXSW hit The Gospel of Eureka (June 22), Laura Steinel’s comic debut Family (June 29), and Cameron Mullenneaux’s documentary Exit Music (June 16). In addition to The William Vale, the series will also host screenings at New Design High School, Pioneer Works, Brooklyn Army Terminal, MetroTech Commons, Industry City, BAM, Fort Greene Park, Socrates Sculpture Park, The Old American Can Factory, and the newest Rooftop Films venue, Green-Wood Cemetery. For tickets and additional information visit the Rooftop Films website.