One of our readers spotted a film crew outside the 5 Spot on Upper Queen Anne early Sunday morning (and by early, I mean around 2 a.m.!) A. A. wrote,

I just walked past the 5 Spot and saw them filming the movie “Grassroots” there. Jason Biggs and Lauren Ambrose were in the scene.

A little IMDB-ing told me that Grassroots is “the shocking true story of the 2001 Seattle race for City Council seat #8. Here’s the synopsis from IMDB:

After losing his job, a journalist reluctantly agrees to help his oddball friend with his bid to earn a seat on the Seattle City Council.

Grassroots is being directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, father of Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal, who also adapted the screenplay. The film has been shooting all over town, including in Phinney Ridge/Greenwood, Capitol Hill and elsewhere around town. I myself did not remember this race, but the folks over at Phinneywood did:

If that sounds familiar, it’s based on the true story of Phil Campbell (who used to work for The Stranger before becoming campaign manager) and Grant Cogswell, who ran for city council here in Seattle in 2001. Campbell wrote a book, “Zioncheck for President: A True Story of Idealism and Madness in American Politics,” which was adapted for “Grassroots.”