By the summer of 1997, Mark Elijah Rosenberg was fed up with most traditional film festivals, so he decided to exhibit his films and the films of his friends on the roof of his apartment on 14th Street in Manhattan under the moniker of High Brow Low Budget Productions. The night was a great success, with over 200 people in attendance, but Mark was kicked out of his apartment for having 200 people on his roof. In 1998, Mark hosted one night of films on the roof of Peter's Car Corp. in the East Williamsburg Industrial Park, Brooklyn. The next year, Mark teamed up with previous collaborator Joshua Breitbart to co-found Rooftop Films, and together they expanded the series to five nights. They were joined the same summer by Moira Griffin, who had previously worked at Ocularis. In the next few years, they were joined by—among many volunteers—Dan Nuxoll, the Program Director; Sarah Palmer who started A Companion Guide to Rooftop Films, and is the Festival Director and staff photographer; Mary Ellen Obais who heads up grant work; and Harry Rosenblum, who books and coordinates the pre-show music.
