One of the coolest and most original indies of the last year gets its theatrical debut this Friday in Seattle at the Northwest Film Forum. Todd Rohal’s The Guatemalan Handshake runs for a week in Seattle before moving on to Portland where it opens at the Hollywood Theater on February 17.

Rohal, who will attend every screening along with producer Megan Griffiths, has organized a series of special events to go along with the screenings. There will be live performances by composer David Wingo (whose new album, recorded under the name Ola Podrida, is released on Plug Research) and Kimya Dawson of the Moldy Peaches, Q and A’s, and screenings of shorts by David Gordon Green and James Clauer.

Here are the events for the Northwest Film Forum:

Thursday 2/8 – David Wingo discusses the art and craft of film scoring – 8:00pm (Note: this is not a GH screening)

Friday 2/9 – David Wingo Live after 9pm show

Saturday 2/10 – Kimya Dawson Live after 9pm show

Sunday 2/11 – David Wingo Live after 9pm show

Monday 2/12 – Special Screening of “Will You Lather Up My Rough House?” Directed by David Gordon Green before 7 & 9pm shows

Tuesday 2/13 – Special Screening of “The Aluminum Fowl” Directed by James Clauer, Produced by Harmony Korine & Agnes B. before 7 & 9pm shows

Wednesday 2/14 – Special Screening of a surprise short film before 7 & 9pm shows

Thursday 2/15 – Special Screening of “Knuckleface Jones” Directed by Todd Rohal before 7 & 9pm shows

And here’s the news for the Portland screenings:

Saturday 2/17 – Q&A With Director Todd Rohal and Producer Megan Griffiths

All week: Special Screenings of the short films “Will You Lather Up My Rough House?” by David Gordon Green and “The Aluminum Fowl” by James Clauer will rotate throughout the week prior to all of the screenings.

I’ve written about Rohal’s unclassifiable comedy, shot in anamorphic in the shadow of Three Mile Island and starring Will Oldham, before, so, in short, if you are in one of these two cities go support a really interesting film as well as a filmmaker committed to innovative DIY distribution.