“Hank’s Saloon” is Coming to Red Hook!
Since its rough-and-tumble origins, the neighborhood of Red Hook, Brooklyn has always marched to the beat of its own drummer. So it makes perfect sense that my feature documentary “Hank’s Saloon” will be making its first-ever festival appearance there, as part of the third annual Red Hook Brooklyn Film Festival.
The screening will take place on Friday, May 15 at 7:30 pm at Green Lung Studio, located at 22 Commerce Street in Red Hook. The event will include a Q&A with the director (me) and a DJ afterparty.
The Red Hook Brooklyn Film Festival is a truly independent, hyper-local event dedicated to “turning the neighborhood into a communal multiplex” by showcasing truly unique new films in a variety of unconventional neighborhood spaces.
As of right now, the festival is holding special sale on tickets:
2 for the price of 1!
GET TICKETS: “Hank’s Saloon” at RHBFF
Come support this truly independent, community-based festival!
A Taste of “Hank’s Saloon”
Okay, maybe “taste” isn’t the best word to use when we’re talking about Hank’s.
But on Saturday, May 30, we’ll be throwing a very special event: a ticketed screening of my feature documentary, “Hank’s Saloon”, in the spacious (and covered) back yard of my local bar and event space Sunset Stoop.
The screening will be immediately followed by a LIVE musical performance by one of the movie’s main attractions, high-octane honky-tonkers Sean Kershaw and the New Jack Ramblers!
The show will also feature some rare musical guests. Including—if the rumors are true—a few songs by Uncle Leon. If ya know, ya know!
Unlike some of our other events, you must have a ticket to see this screening!
Tickets are $12, and are available here:
GET TICKETS: “Hank’s Saloon” at Sunset Stoop
You do not need a ticket to see the band.
“A Legendary Brooklyn Dive Bar Returns for One Night Only”
On April 8, 2026, we threw a live screening of my feature documentary “Hank’s Saloon” at the legendary Freddy’s Bar in Brooklyn, with special Guest Bartender (and star of the film) Jeannie Taliercio.
Journalist Stephanie Keith of the local news site Hell Gate was there to photograph the event, and to interview many of the old-school regulars who attended—including me and my wife/Producer Ashlie.
You can find the story (and photos) on the Hell Gate site.
If the link give you problems, you can view an archived version of the whole story here.
Thank you to Stephanie and Hell Gate for doing such a wonderful job documenting this momentous event!
Photo by Stephanie Keith
Leon Chase on “More Light”
I recently had the pleasure of appearing on the wonderful arts podcast “More Light”, hosted by local Brooklyn artist Dan Gratz.
I love when an interviewer isn’t afraid to go deep. On the show, we discussed “Hank’s Saloon” (the movie and the place), as well as the changing face of New York City, the early 2000s Alt-Country scene in Brooklyn, and the future of creativity and culture in America.
“MORE LIGHT” is available on most major podcast platforms.
Listen to the Episode here
Bringing It All Back Home
Last night, we brought my documentary “Hank’s Saloon” back to the block it was born on, with a special screening at the Hollow Nickel bar, located 400 feet from the original Hank’s.
In honor of the event, I slapped a few posters up on the site of the old Hank’s building. Which, by the way, is still standing there, and is still empty.
THANK YOU to the 50+ people who packed into Hollow Nickel just to see the movie.
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