Aresco's
Aresco's is a short documentary that follows the night shift at a Connecticut bodega. The film chronicles the humorous and touching interactions between customers and the shopkeeper, Saifullah "Ali" Khan.
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Aaron Kelly-PensoDirector
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Ali KhanKey Cast
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Project Type:Documentary, Short
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Genres:observational, documentary, underground, experimental, verite, direct cinema
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Runtime:11 minutes 12 seconds
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Completion Date:October 14, 2019
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Production Budget:0 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Outer Docs Film FestivalIthaca
United States
November 10, 2019
World Premiere
Short Documentary Runner Up -
Kansas City Underground Film FestivalKansas City
United States
September 24, 2022
Missouri Premiere
Official Selection -
Toronto Arthouse Film FestivalToronto
Canada
October 19, 2022
Canadian Premiere
Offical Selection
My intention going into "Aresco's" was to focus on the shopkeeper Ali, using his work at the bodega as a launching point for a film about his life and experience in America. As filming progressed, however, my attention was continually drawn to the interactions between Ali and the customers, and it quickly became clear that there was something worthy of note in these moments. The bodega became the axis around which the film revolved, with Ali acting as a conduit for action rather than the sole focus of the film.