AFI-Discovery Channel SILVERDOCS 2009

After a long, lively career in show business, Eddie “Junior” Belasco, age 75, is finally considering retirement. Born and raised in the Italian area of North Beach, San Francisco, a young Junior wanted to become an entertainer and see the world. Rather than succumb to the constraints of the diabetes he was diagnosed with in his teens, Junior chose to live life to its fullest, as he continues to do in his seventies. Junior’s eclectic career included singing in the musical comedy group the Belasco Four and managing the all-girl topless band the Ladybirds. Junior’s energy is rivaled only by that of his 99-year-old “Ma,” Josephine Belasco, with whom he spends much of his time. Junior stays youthful in a variety of ways that include his involvement with the Belasco Theater Company, a nonprofit that produces plays with local kids; his friendly sparring with his mother; and enjoying his own energetic personality. Yet with his vision faltering from glaucoma and his 65-year battle with diabetes finally beginning to take its toll, Junior decides to retire from the theater company. Junior’s mother deals with her own health concerns, and their once-stable existence becomes threatened. Loosely organized around the last two seasons of the theater company, JUNIOR offers a positive look at aging and staying young despite the challenges life presents. Funny, sad and heartwarming, the film demonstrates how playfulness is often the best cure for growing old.

Filmmaker Q&A

Introduce yourself:
I was born in Los Angeles, CA. For the past 15 years, I’ve produced and filmed a wide variety of social and political documentaries for television and film. In 2004, I directed Dave and Trey Go to Africa (VH1), a musical portrait of Dave Matthews and Phish’s Trey Anastasio during their visit to Dakar, Senegal where they collaborated with one of West Africa’s foremost groups Orchestra Baobab. In 2005, I worked as one of the two cinematographers on Jesus Camp, the award-winning documentary about an evangelical summer camp for kids. Junior is my feature length directorial debut.    
 

What inspired this film?   How did you find your subjects? 
Oh this is a good one!  Eddie Belasco was my mother’s first husband.  (My father was 2nd) I remember meeting Eddie when I was 9 years old and thinking “who is this guy?” He was larger than life in his blue fedora and polyester suit. An unforgettable spirit.  Little did I know that I would be making a film about him 20 years later.   

As far as inspiration, I originally set out to make a film about Eddie and his children’s musical theater company.  But as I filmed him more and more with his mother Josie, a deeper, more intimate story was revealed.   
 

What were some of the biggest challenges/surprises?
As I started to focus in more on Eddie and his mother I realized I was making a film about a relationship, not a topic or issue.  A relationship is a very complicated thing to capture as there are so many intricacies and nuances, especially with a mother and son who are entering this critical time in their life.  Staying in touch with those subtleties and not focusing only on story was key, but not always easy.  Because the story deals with aging and mortality, I found many surprises in Eddie’s and Josie’s last minute life decisions.     
 
 
 

Who are some of your favorite filmmakers?
Robert Altman, Paul Thomas Anderson, Coen brothers, Jean-Luc Godard, and the Maysle brothers 

What is your all time favorite documentary?
I can’t list just one! Grey Gardens, Southern Comfort, My Flesh and Blood, The Last Waltz, Hands on a Hard Body, Billy the Kid and The Devil and Daniel Johnston. 

What other projects are in the pipeline?
A doc-series on notorious and celebrated neighborhood characters told by the residents who witness them from afar.         

Why did you become a filmmaker? 
I love getting lost in other  lives and stories.  I also enjoy the challenge of interpreting those stories into something that is compelling and entertaining.   

What are some of your creative influences?
My father Charles Rosher, cinematographer.  Artists, Jenny Holzer and Cindy Sherman for their bold and beautiful expressions.       

Did you go to film school? 
No, I went to journalism school  

What do you shoot on?
I really love the Sony EX3 XD Cam, Panasonic HVX-200, mostly small cameras, they are less invasive and shoot just as good as the big ones. 

What has been the most unexpected thing to happen since taking the film on the festival circuit? 
This is our first stop on the circuit…I can’t wait to see what unfolds! 

Why did you want to screen your film at SILVERDOCS? 
I became a huge fan of Silverdocs in 2006 when Jesus Camp screened here.  I was really impressed with the quality of films that were featured and the variety of stories and storytellers.