LOST BOHEMIA
PR & MARKETING DIRECTIVE
DISTRIBUTOR: Long Shot Factory
DIRECTOR: Josef Astor
PRODUCERS: Jody Shields, Jonathan Ferrantelli
FEATURING: Bill Cunningham, Jeanne Beauvais, Robert X. Modica, Editta Sherman,
Dr. Donald Shirley
RUNNING TIME: 78 minutes
LANGUAGE: English
RATING: Not rated
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.lostbohemia.com
FOR PRESS NOTES + PHOTOS: www.lostbohemia.com/downloads
SHORT SYNOPSIS:
For over 100 years, the most significant 20th century artists and performers have lived and
worked in the 165 studios atop Carnegie Hall, including Marilyn Monroe, Isadora Duncan,
Barnett Newman, Norman Mailer, Marlon Brando, and George Balanchine. In 2007, the Carnegie
Hall Corporation began to systematically evict the artists (some in residence for over 60 years),
destroy the Studios and convert the spaces into offices. LOST BOHEMIA is the only film
documentation of the Carnegie Studios, the artists who worked there, and the creative legacies
entwined with the studios’ history.
LONG SYNOPSIS:
For over 100 years, the most significant 20th century artists and performers have lived and
worked in the 165 studios atop Carnegie Hall, including Marilyn Monroe, Isadora Duncan,
Barnett Newman, Norman Mailer, Marlon Brando, and George Balanchine. In 2007, the Carnegie
Hall Corporation began to systematically evict the artists (some in residence for over 60 years),
destroy the studios, and convert the space into offices. Ironically, many of the elderly artists
who were faced with eviction had been instrumental in saving Carnegie Hall when it was slated
for demolition in 1960.
Alarmed by the situation, photographer Josef Astor, a resident of the Carnegie Hall Studios for
over 20 years, began to film his neighboring artists: ballet and drama instructors, dancers,
singers, sculptors, painters, and writers. Over a period of eight years, first-time director Astor
filmed several hundred hours of the remaining artist tenants as they fought to preserve the
studios for future generations. LOST BOHEMIA is Astor’s intimate, affectionate portrait of these
extraordinary people, who share the pleasures and struggles of working in a new New York City
that has become increasingly inhospitable to artists.
LOST BOHEMIA is the only film documentation of the Carnegie Studios, the artists, and the
Studio’s significant history. Through interviews, vintage film and photographs, television
footage, materials from the artists’ private collections, and music, the documentary spotlights
the Carnegie Studios, the important artists who worked there, and the loss of entire creative
legacies fostered by those professionals who taught generations of singers, dancers, writers, and
artists.
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Positioning & Approach:
It’s best to position the film as the perfect companion piece to BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK,
tackling such subjects as the aging artist and his/her role in society and artistic legacy, as well as
the preservation of New York’s unique historic and cultural legacies in the face of rising real
estate prices and the “New” New York City. LOST BOHEMIA casts these and other subjects in
new light, offering viewers an intimate look into the lives of the collaborators and creators of
one of the greatest artistic communities in Old New York’s cultural history as they fight to save
the only way of life they’ve ever known.
From acclaimed photographer and first-time director Josef Astor, LOST BOHEMIA is a snapshot
of a place and moment in time that no longer exists and, perhaps most disturbingly, may never
exist again.
In no other single location in the world have such an extraordinary and influential group of
artists ever been gathered. Established by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1894, the Carnegie
Hall Studios have played a primary role in the American cultural landscape. The Studios were
specifically designed to accommodate a range of artistic pursuits, including spaces tailored to
dancing, acting, voice lessons, painting, photography and sculpture. The rehearsal rooms have
perfect acoustics, and the dance studios were built to the exact dimensions of a Broadway
stage, equipped with sprung floors. The artists’ studios have enormous windows and skylights.
Every artist-resident contributed to the mythology of Carnegie Hall; there is a legend behind
every single door of the studios.
Sadly, Andrew Carnegie’s bohemian utopia is no more. In 2007, the Carnegie Hall Corporation
began to evict resident artists, demolish their unique spaces, and erect cubicles and offices in
their stead. They promoted and sold the plan to the public as “The Sanford Weill Music
Institute,” but in fact it amounted to the corporatizing of the great tradition of artists working in
the Carnegie Studios. This corporatization was most shockingly illustrated by the razing of the
studio skylights to build a rooftop terrace for the exclusive use of the Carnegie Hall
Corporation’s patrons and donors. The architect awarded the renovation project is the son in
law of Sanford Weill, chairman of Carnegie's board.
The destruction of the renowned Carnegie Studios and the eviction of the artists is symptomatic
of a larger problem: New York City government has damaged its future cultural importance by
refusing to support its artists and to preserve its artistic legacies.
Original Release Date:
The film was originally released in May 2011 at IFC Center in New York. However, at that time,
the filmmaker did not have the resources to expand nationally. He has since run a successful
Kickstarter campaign and we’ve been hired to bring the film to a wider audience.
Press:
Features should be pursued in the arts and entertainment sections. We believe this film will be
attractive both to film/entertainment press and to those reporters who cover fine art.
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Sample Pitches:
+ Director Josef Astor’s insider perspective as resident and eyewitness to the events in this film,
living with and as his subjects
+ In context of arts funding in difficult economy/desire to reduce arts funding (NEA) – important
to support/invest in culture?
+ In context of rising tension between historic preservation and real estate value
+ Related to above: analysis of conflict inherent in the film, that is, between interests of art(ists)
and those of business
+ Changing/historic role of the artist in society
+ In relation to the film’s theme of age and respecting/disrespecting elders and mentors
Screenings:
+ Press Screenings—We will be using screeners in all markets, however, if you wish to arrange a
press screening at your theater, please coordinate with us for format shipping.
+ WOM/Promo Screenings—We are interested in all FREE word-of-mouth and promotional
screening opportunities. If you think there is a particularly effective screening that we should do,
but it costs money, please still bring it to our attention so we can consider it.
Interview Availability:
+ Josef Astor
+ Editta Sherman (Note: Ms. Sherman will be turning 100 years old this year.)
+ Robert X. Modica
Housekeeping:
Please send Hilary Crowe (hilary@longshotfactory.com) and Erin Owens
(erin@longshotfactory.com) interview requests.
Market Specifics:
Director Josef Astor will be in person for Q&A after the opening night screening in Lincoln, NE.
Materials—LET US KNOW HOW MANY YOU WOULD LIKE:
+ Posters
+ PRESS NOTES + STILLS—available at http://www.lostbohemia.com/downloads/
+ Screeners
Theatrical Screenings:
4/1 – Croton Falls, NY – Schoolhouse Theater
4/13 – Lincoln, NE – Ross Media Arts Center – DIRECTOR JOSEF ASTOR IN PERSON
4/16 – Phoenix, AZ – Phoenix Center for the Arts
4/20 – Portland, ME – Movies at the Museum
4/27 – Chicago, IL – Gene Siskel Film Center
5/11 – Evanston, IL – Block Cinema
5/17 – Columbus, OH – Wexner Center for the Arts
5/22 – Stuart, FL – Lyric Theater
6/22 – Seattle, WA – Northwest Film Forum
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