THE Lucia Pamela DOCUMENTARY

STATE of development.

updated: june 11, 2009.

To my pleasure, at times, festival organizers, teachers and curators ask me about The documentary -they want it to be a part in their festival or event, or lesson. For instance: curators that curate a show on 'outsiders'. This information is to let you know that I am always willing to participate, but on some (nice) conditions.

Perhaps you look at this page with the same kind of interest. If you want to show this film in your venue, here's my answer:

The movie is still unreleased, and I don't know when I can officially release it, to my disappointment,
It is 'owned' by the family of Lucia Pamela -who are also 'rights'owners for a big part, and with whom I have not much contact at this moment. The family is very occupied with their businesses and the discussion on this film is not a hot daily issue.

I have no problem at all, however, of showing the film, on special occasions, for smaller groups of interested people and certainly it is a good thing when it concerns an 'outsiders' show, art environment or teaching situation.

YOU WANT A PRESENTATION OF THIS MOVIE AT YOUR VENUE ?
The way in which I present my film material at this moment, is in the form of a small, vivid 'seminar'.
That contains: A compact lecture on Lucia Pamela by me - a short story about how the film came into existence, some Q&A.. (you could interview me as well) -a small exhibition that I bring along, of special Lucia Pamela parefernalia that I have collected, like pieces of radiointerviews in which she talks, pieces of soundrecordings she made herself (and that never got released); photos, filmfootage, letters etc....and the movie imbedded in that.

I ask a reasonable fee for this evening-filling performance.
There was such an evening in november or december 2008 in WORM, Rotterdam,The Netherlands http://www.wormweb.nl/
curated by Lukas Simonis.
There is an exhibition (3 floors) with the documentary full length at galerie Ferdinand van Dieten, in Amsterdam, june 13 till july 11. opening june 13, talk with filmmaker Marc Geerards.

That is the form I can offer at this moment.
Unfortanetely I can't just send out a copy of the documentary. But I can come myself, if you invite me, with a surrounding story and a suitcase full of one-of-a-kind Lucia Pamela souvenirs.

Because I am a performer/artist myself, you can consider a 'Lucia Pamela seminar' as I mention, as rich, informative and also playful.
Would a presentationform like that be of any interest to you?
I hope to hear from you.
Kind regards,
Danielle Lemaire
The Netherlands

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Today, sunday 20 january 2008 -I got the news that Lucia Pamela's daughter, Georgia Frontiere, has passed away, at age 80.

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The 85-minute filmversion is ready. For some years now...

The movie is still unreleased, due to lacking approval-on-paper for use of footage upon which several owners's rights lay. I don't know at this state when the release will come out. You can mail me if you have questions on this.

I am ready to screen at small cinema's in the end of 2007 or in 2008 In Europe. mail me for info.

Since october 2004 there was again a small possible opening for an interview with Lucia Pamela's daughter,Georgia Frontiere. I have been waiting again for a green light on having a talk with her about the times she shared being on the showstage and TV with her Mother.This means the movie had been postponed again-for I decided to see if this talk could really go through and still could become part of the movie. At this point I have finished all the edits and definately decided to not wait any longer for a talk with Lucia Pamela's daughter -I did all I could, sent her all information that I had, and still a 5-minute talk remained impossible. -and,now waiting for the next step of Utopia Pictures, I am ready (for 2 years) to have the final Master be manufactured. All kinds of things need to be taken care of in order to make the whole thing come out-other parties have to give their approvals etc. THAT is what makes this thing take so long and less free for myself -next to watch tightly the low budget, (of which I am happy to have received it, from Lucia Pamela's Grandson's company, filmmaker Chip Rosenbloom, to whom I am very thankful) -that is in fact already spent 2 times or more -and partly from own financial reserves.

Copyrights must be settled .Not always easy when composers and orchestras that were releasing in the 1920's or earlier-and of whom music is used-have passed away and rightowners are hard to find today. Then, I get no feedback / answers from Lucia's daughter and some of her family at all. I wait, while working on 1000 other projects, for the right day that everything is in the right place.

Unfortunately my contact Lucia's family at this moment is hard to establish. No replies to my emails/calls...

There should be a surprise coming along when the movierelease will be there. a music CD probably, with never-heard-before Lucia Pamela musicpieces. I may probably produce this CD-though new budget is needed for that then. more on this as soon as possible.

I would like to thank again everyone who has contacted me and replied letters and questions in the context of this project.

Making a film is such another world then making a painting -I learned much about that the last years.

After finishing, the moving image should have gotten prepared for festivals and 'the market'-that is, Lucia's Grandson's company, Rosenbloom Enterainment/Utopia Pictures, would have been in charge of those last 2 things.-This was said in 2004.

At this point, january 20, 2008, it is totally unsure what will happen. It's like an open ending, or if nobody takes care of it, a deadbleeding road. Of course I have this diamond always within reach for the true interested. And I will show it to friends and fans in nice occasions and small gatherings. If you are truely interested in this, mail me for info!

 

One of the characters I put a light on will be Lucia Pamela's Grandson,Kenny Irwin,who also makes very interesting art about Outer Space Worlds. Go visit this website and see his fantastic works,like the Christmas Galaxy!

also see his latest ideas and profile at MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/kennyirwin

 

Older news:

On May 1, 2004, LUCIA PAMELA was with us ( now in heaven and way up high) for 100 years long. An Anniversary!

She was born in St. Louis on May 1, 1904.

We are going to celebrate this!!!

Soon the Documentary on Lucia Pamela's life and career should be ready for presentation.

Where ? How?

Anyone who wants update information please send me your email-address

so I can send you the necessarry updates on screenings and availability.

The State of the Documentary is in its finishing process.

The film must be shortened and cut back to 75 minutes. (It now still is 108 minutes).

It has to be made ready and created for proper broadcasts, screenings and distribution.

I am still in negociation with Lucia Pamela's Grandson about this.

I wanted my movie on Lucia Pamela to be ready on May 1, 2004, but the film comes out later.

This doesn't take away that May 1 2004 was a memorial day, a Birthday on which we memorize one of the mostremarkable and energetic female muscicians in history.

 

About the film, which probably shall be called 'Into Outer Space With Lucia Pamela',

I shall keep you updated as always. Do email me when you have questions.

What happened since the news of 2003?

I have been waiting for quite a while for an interview with Lucia Pamela's daughter,mrs. Georgia Frontiere.

Helas, in the end it didn't go through.

Lucia Pamela's daughter's days in showbusiness, around the fiftees, with and without her inspiring Mother Lucia Pamela, is

represented in the film though.

In the meantime the Final Rough Cut has been put together in the late summer of 2003 and is now being re-created into the Final Cut

of it all. The film will have a duration time of ± 75 minutes.

I and we are working on it to have it ready in 2004.

I will keep you updated about the worldpremiere!!!!!

I am getting there to show the core of Lucia's strenght and outspokenness in this videofilm.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I work on Lucia's lifestory in moving image since 1998.

I am a one-woman film crew.

In the middle of several, and many, other artprojects. Time is a relevant thing- and like flowers do, each work of mine grows at its own terms.

* How much longer do the fans have to wait for this vibrant documentary on Lucia Pamela?

The documentary is developing well. I focus on finishing it by this Summer. It is a matter of enough budget and final settlements. And technique.

I am still refocusing and still surprising myself with new discoveries. I took my time so far, because I only wanted to tell a thorough story on Lucia Pamela. And not some superficial one, that tells us nothing but a few sensational facts on this talented Woman with a great Mind. It will be a good story about her artistry. She deserves it, and you deserve to get to know it.

Together with studio Showmoro I worked on some smashing small 3-D animations. They look as if Lucia Pamela's Colouringbook has come to life.

Further more through the whole process Jan Van Den Dobbelsteen, my man, made it possible for me to work in the SleepWellstudio and also provided camerawork.

Every step of the Movie is done through collaboration with Chip Rosenbloom, Lucia's Grandson, a filmmaker who has his office of 'Utopia Pictures' in Beverly Hills and is living in Los Angeles.

There are many people who have helped me freely by answering questions and sending interesting information that I mam thankful for.

I have used some interesting historical filmfootage in St.Louis, where Lucia Pamela was born- in 1904-, during the year of the fascinating World's Fair.(thanks,Eric Breibart)

The documentary is going to show us also more historical news on Lucia's early teachers and discoverers, like Charles Kunkel and the flamboyant Ignacy Paderewski. Also, George Liberaces work in collaboration with Lucia Pamela got attention. These are just some details of it all.

Possibly I intuitively knew what an impact Lucia Pamela had when I met her music -and herself. She was like a 'human historical encyclopedia'-she had seen, knew and did so much that is historically more then remarkable .In her days it wasn't so 'normal' to be an independent and 'pigheaded' entertainer, thinker and doier -as a woman. And her most significant quality is that she seemed to be a free lady.

Her story seemed unbelievable but in my research I found out her story is even more incredible than that.

If so many things about an artistic Lady are worth telling, an important part of this job -making a portrait on film -is also: (how) to choose the 'highlights' of her vibrant life..What do you do when you find out the story is about a career that is made of a lifelong chain of so-called highlights?
Highlights on a human scale -but all uniquely 'uplifting'.

Anyways..The final finishing of the movie has to be done this year. My plan and wish is to have the Movie ready in 2004.

*Why 2004 ?

Lucia Pamela would have been 100 years old then.

Her place of her birth, St.Louis, will display some interesting historical exhibitions on Lewis and Clarke. And I'd like to link her lifestory as a special historical Mark of Time to all that.

I'm sure she would have appreciated that herself.

P A S T:

*In Juli /August 2001 I stayed with Lucia again for two weeks,together with my partner Jan.**Friendshap had flourished.*Also we did further Research with surprising results. I visited Lucia Pamela also in may, 2000.

I went to see her to celebrate her 96th birthday,on may first,MAYDAY-a day on which she once won a cup for the best decorated bycicle in her former hometown St.Louis in the 30's- together with her friends and some of her family. I performed songs for her,amongst more the song'Whispering',her favorite one,and'Inthe year 2000', the song that she wrote herself in 1958. I did the performance with Jack Foti(piano,singing),who is originally from Hungary and who has been playing and entertaining on the stages of Las Vegas for about 30 years; and Frank Green(violin/saxophone/clarinette,singing),who plays passionately and reminds usof the old days in which Lucia herself played the stars from heaven. In his singing he sometimes missed the tone (like I did,like jack Foti did),but the openheartedness of the man made his performance touching and great! Our performance is to be heard on my latest CD 'L.A.Diary'! Lupe Amador,Lucia's nurse and friend for years now, organised the party.There was a maple tree to dance around for everyone-Lucia's age-members danced around it and had a swell and goodtime. Photos of the party and more are in my latest book 'L.A.Diary' .(see below for more information)

FILMS ON VIDEO

(NOTE! these films are NOT for sale- nor for hire or what so ever.they are only to be seen occasionally,in my artshows and sometimes during my concerts,

mostly in my own country,the netherlands -these films are free artworks,not negotiable)

-A Portrait of Lucia Pamela I

in this film (1998) old pictures,Lucia's home,some of her piano's and accordeons,the colouring book...illustrating talking by a.o. Erik Lindgren (Arf!Arf!records),Lucia Pamela Rodriguez.Lucia herself,her accordeon

-A Portrait of Lucia Pamela II

in this film (1998) some old pictures,a voice-over introduction by me,a visit of Lucia,her nurse and me at the house of kirk biglione in pasadena.lucia sees herself on the internet,and a computer anyway for the first time in her life

-A Portrait of Lucia Pamela III

in this film (2001) a visit to the beautysalon for mother's day,may 2000

-A Portrait of Lucia Pamela IV,V

in these films: (2001)

- lucia pamela listens,moved, to recordings of her own pianoplaying of 1974

- portrait in Buenos Park. -portrait in Gardena.

Strong silent portraits.

-Further :

*film of Lucia's Birthday May 1,2000 (with performance by me,Jack Foti,Frank Green)

*film of Lucia's Grandson Kenny Irwin and his fantastic ('Outer Space') Art,Palm Springs

*film of Storybookland,Fresno,with Interview of Bradley Rogers,one of Lucia's re-discoverers

*interviews with (former) friends of Lucia

*many more,of course I am not going to tell you everything at this point..

My investigations and study and filming based on Lucia Pamela's rich life have increased since my last visit to her.At the moment there's an Agreement for officially making a biographical documentary on Lucia Pamela which is almost done.The first A promise for new surpises and never released before authentic material about our Heroine .Never released footage of important value will be released with this permission by Lucia Pamela's family. Keep an eye on it, for soon her fans may get to know more about this wonderful woman...my mailbox stays open for new REAL information, materials, contacts about Large Lucia Pamela. Thanks much. If all goes well, as I hope it will, we can all see her story as a moving picture in 2004 somewhere. I'll be in touch.

Danielle Lemaire, march 2004

for more Lucia Pamela pictures:* click here

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