by Dan Bloom, producer
When Matt Berninger hit the road with his successful band ‘The National’ he threw his younger brother a bone in the form of an opportunity to join the tour as a roadie. Tom Berninger always had designs on becoming a filmmaker, but had little to show for it save for a few student films in the horror-thriller genre.
After too much partying and too many mishaps, Tom was dismissed from the tour, but not before he amassed a trove of footage that would eventually turn into the film “Mistaken for Strangers.” Luckily for Tom, Matt’s wife Carin Besser was a longtime fiction editor at The New Yorker and not only did she allow Tom to live in her home, but she stepped in with her keen eye for narrative and helped to shape Tom’s ideas and footage into a heartwarming and thoroughly enjoyable film.
The film is ostensibly about ‘The National,’ but at it’s heart, it’s the story of a younger brother trying to overcome his own self doubt while proving to his older brother, and himself, that he can indeed complete a worthwhile work of art.
‘Mistaken for Strangers’ is certainly that, and leaves the viewer with a sense that they’ve seen something real, accessible, and utterly fresh. The film is out in theaters today, for more information and showtimes, visit the film’s website: MistakenForStrangersMovie.com. Tom Berninger tweets at @TomBerninger and the film’s twitter account is @NationalMovie.
Meanwhile, Matt Berninger’s band ‘The National’ is going back on tour in support of their sixth studio album ‘Trouble Will Find Me.’ For more information on the band, including show dates, visit their website AmericanMary.com and the band tweets at @The_National.