BETTER THAN SOMETHING: JAY REATARD DOCUMENTARY TRAILER
Check out the official trailer for this exceptional documentary about prolific and controversial Memphis-based punk musician, Jay Reatard, who died tragically and unexpectedly in 2010 at the age of 29. Better Than Something paints a fascinating portrait of the complex artist at the height of his self-made career.
Directed by Alex Hammond and Ian Markiewicz.
ABOUT BETTER THAN SOMETHING: JAY REATARD (2011)
To expand on their short film Waiting for Something, filmmakers Alex Hammond and Ian Markiewicz returned to Tennessee to interview his friends, family and colleagues in the immediate aftermath of Jay’s abrupt death. Better Than Something eloquently interweaves cinema verite, interviews and archival concert performances, and features candid footage from an insightful and candid week spent with Jay, who reveals personal childhood stories and the struggles of his life in Memphis.
Tirelessly devoting his entire life to music, Jay Reatard has become a garage rock icon, having created a massive discography spread out over dozens of singles, EPs, and full-length albums released on labels like Matador, Fat Possum and In The Red. A relentless live performer, Jay toured the world with dozens of bands including The Reatards, Lost Sounds, Bad Times, Persuaders, Cheap Time, The Pixies, Spoon, Beck and many more. A devoted - and often times notorious - fixture in his hometown of Memphis, Jay celebrated the city’s long-standing history of American music, and his vast body of work provides a rich contribution to the enduring musical legacy of Memphis.
MEET THE FILMMAKERS
ALEX HAMMOND
Producer/Director/Cinematographer/Editor
Alexandria Hammond is a Mexican-American filmmaker based in New York City who has dedicated herself to documentary films for the past several years. Her feature documentary debut, Children of Haiti, aired on PBS’s Independent Lens in January 2011. Hammond has worked as cinematographer and editor on various projects, such as; Albert Maysles's Close Up: Portraits (co-editor) and Dominick Dunne: After the Party (cinematographer). Her films have screened at various festivals around the world, including The Museum of Modern Art, Hamptons Film Festival and New York Film and Video festival. She recently completed a second feature, Better than Something: Jay Reatard, and is currently shooting a new film in Mexico City. Alex is a graduate of California Institute of the Arts.
IAN MARKIEWICZ
Writer/Director/Cinematographer/Editor
Ian Markiewicz is a New York based independent filmmaker. In addition to various freelance projects (such as Random House's Memorial for Norman Mailer), he has collaborated with documentary pioneer Albert Maysles as co-director and editor since 2006. Their work, including The Beales of Grey Gardens (co-director), The Rolling Stones: Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out! 40th Anniversary (co-director), and ESPN’s 30 for 30: Muhammad and Larry (editor), has screened in cinemas, festivals and on television around the world. His feature documentary Better than Something: Jay Reatard premiered in 2011, and he is currently in production on a new film in Mexico City. Ian is a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
IMAGES FROM BETTER THAN SOMETHING
better than something jay reatard trailer
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