Inspired by true events, THE GOLDEN AGE is a tour de force musical film about subversive pop star, Maya O’Malley (Justin Connor), who after a string of incendiary remarks in the press, gets dropped from his music label and then sets out on a spiritual pilgrimage throughout mystical Northern India, to immerse himself in the vast teachings of Hindu mythology in an attempt to resolve his troubled past.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Justin Connor

Watch The Golden Age on Tubi, Prime Video and iTunes

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I was watching a lot of documentaries about musicians and their lives, and became fascinated with it all. Being an actor and musicians for years, I wondered if there was a way to make a similar fictitious documentary about a pop star and his fall from grace, but also make it a music with no lip syncing, so the songs and story got revealed in real time. With the songs helping to tell the arc of the story, with no lip syncing or effaces — just one take with the lead protagonist so you could get more intimate with his plight and story.

Some of it was loosely based on my life but a lot of it was meant to be metaphorical for what has since devolved in the music business if not material life itself.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

It’s wildly engaging and what I’ve found from most audience members is there’s an aspect of healing that’s unfolded with them by the end. It helps let people’s shoulders drop a little bit, particularly with those that have had some challenges in life like the lead character, Maya O’Malley.

When I screened it in Sedona at the Illuminate Film Festival, there was a woman in the back of the room bawling away. When I slowly approached her to see what was wrong, she told me about how may of the parallels with her own life and having an abusive, alcoholic ex-husband had effected her and she though that she had processed it all, but hadn’t truly been able to let it all go until watching my film. I told her as we continued on that this wasn’t my film anymore, that maybe it was hers. That — who knows, maybe I made the film for her to heal from her own past, let alone mine.

Then she started crying more, then I started bawling….Here we were, two strangers in this small theatre in Arizona, crying and hugging it out like she was a long lost friend or relative…That’s when I realized the power of not only art and film-making, but that The Golden Age wasn’t really my film anymore, but designed to heal others who’ve had a messy past like I’ve had.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

This film as very much about letting go of some of my own past. I’m not really sure how I made it, or if I could ever do something like this again…but I started to realize that my dharma or directive in life is to make devotional art and creative projects with the aim to heal and hopefully enlighten. That is my goal. This film taught me so much about the importance of the devotional path, and seeing the larger, more important themes at the core of my life, then wanting to show my talents or fill some type of adulation or need to be seen by my own ego. This story is so universal, and have had so many people iterate how much their family life had been the same, that it was almost like exposing my deepest darkest secrets in a way that allows others to give permission to themselves to do the same.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

It was shot about 95% according to the script, but scenes and improvisation worked rally well depending on some of the actor’s computability with pushing some of the boundaries of various themes. I also gave myself permission to abandon certain aspects to go with the creative impulse that would help tie in various scenes in the film, particularly in the 3rd act. During the India portion of the film, I started coming up with certain ideas while I was shooting that could be loosely based on the journal writings I had done at the time, and it all sort of came together in a uniquely cohesive way. I think it’s good to adhere diligently to a script but also be willing to abandon it, if not heighten the stakes when inspiration in the moment arises.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Wildly responsive and positive reviews. I don’t think anyone’s quite seen something like this: a musical, rock/doc/mockumentary musical that blurs the line between real and fake. People want to know the details of what’s true and begin to question the meaning of reality and fiction itself. I wanted to blur the line with the audience geared towards coming up with exploring those themes while being affected by the story as a reflection of their own, rather then get into the salacious details of what is real, fictionalized or a hybrid of both. I think people’s reactions to the film reveal as much as whatever it is I hoped to engender in mapping the whole thing out. I find a lot of people share their own story afterwards, saying that the film allowed them to resolve some of their own past, without it getting way of the story itself.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Somewhat. I guess it’s interesting to see how people react. Most end up sharing tidbits of their own life and have a story of catharsis unfold with me, while others want to know exactly what parts are real and fake. It was a secret experiment of mine to see which way people go — reveling in the story itself and its effect on their own story, or wanting to know the nitty gritty details, in the reality show aspects of our culture itself. It's kind of an experiment I had with myself prior to releasing, with no particular response being right or wrong — but it’s fascinating to see which angle people choose to come at it all reaction wise.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

More exposure for the spiritual theme and creative uniqueness of it all I suppose. I am finishing up on the book portion of the project, entitled “A Day in the Lies”, which is a journal memoir by the lead character Maya O’Malley while on tour, as well as the digital, CD, and Vinyl Soundtrack to the film itself. So if you love the film, I humbly think people will go wild over the soundtrack handbook as well. They kind of fill in the blanks for the rabid fans.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Mostly distribution and social media marketing. Someone who has a limitless trust fund to help me finance all the moving parts probably! Ha. I’m joking (sort of), but more then anything just trying to find the right distributor so it finds its home with people that really “get” the project and story. I think it hits so very many demographics, but seems to be one of the indie films that has seemingly slipped through the cracks of Hollywood in this ever increasing day and age of competitive if not endless content.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

Whatever is meant to transpire, I guess. Some people get really emotional, some are able to drop their attachment and blame to their own past, some are just wildly entertained at the uniqueness of it all, but most seem to have a strong emotional response encompassing a mixture of all mentioned.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Is Maya real or fake? Is this character a real person or just a made up alter ego of myself as an artist? That is usually the big question…Maya is a sanskrit word in reference to the illusory energy of the material world. SO I was trying t convey that if the material world can shift and the illusory energy of so many institutions in our world, art, music, politics and so on, then we may have a shot at getting out of this devolving mess we seem to be going through culturally in the states if not entire world these days.

Would you like to add anything else?

I need to sleep! I’m kidding, but actually quite serious. This film was shot and recorded and filmed over many years. That plus the music mastering and mixes, plus the book, and editing and film festivals…When it’s all over I am going to collapse and trying to stay focused until the end line — whatever face or form that reveals itself to be.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Just to keep myself sane I have been working hard on my third album entitled MATERIAL LIFE, just to have a diversion during all the work that this film encompasses. It’s been my release valve so I don’t go mad while trying to see this film through to the end. I have some film ideas percolating for the second project, but it’s hard to get too deep into it all until I release The Golden Age and have some breathing room to come from a place where that’s not sitting on my mind as much.

Interview: September 2017

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

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THE GOLDEN AGE

Length: 102 minutes

Director: Justin Connor

Producer: Justin Connor

Writer: Justin Connor

About the writer, director and producer:

Justin Connor is an actor, writer, director, and musician who hails from the humble roots of Manchester, New Hampshire, born and raised to first generation Irish descendants.

Constantly expanding his creative palette through various artistic mediums, he is best known and recognized from such independent films as Resurrection Mary, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, as well as The Problem, In My Life and such TV shows as Six Feet Under, Monk, Judging Amy, and a slew of others over the years.

He chose to take some time away from his acting pursuits, in order to write, direct, produce, star in, and score the music for his feature film mock/rockumentary musical entitled, The Golden Age, which he shot in California and India.

Inspired by true events, The Golden Age is a massive tour de force rockumentary about subversive pop star, Maya O’Malley, who after a string of incendiary remarks in the press, gets dropped from his music label, Aspect Records in the Fall of 2012.

The Golden Age most recently Won the Audience Award at the Jaipur International Film Festival in January 2017 in Jaipur, India.

His most recent album, Kaliyuga, is currently available on iTunes, and he plans to release The Golden Age soundtrack in 2016 as a double vinyl release as the score/soundtrack to the feature film. He currently splits time between music, acting jobs, painting, and prepping the release of his third album entitled, Material Life.

Key cast: Justin Connor, Christopher May, Brian Jacobs, Ellen Gerstein, David Lovering (The Pixies)

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): All of the above.

Social media handles: #tgafilm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tgafilm/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tgafilm/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tgafilm/

Made in association with: anthropomorphic films

Where can I see it in the next month?

Sunday, October 8th at 5 pm at Regal Cinemas 1000 West Olympic Blvd, LA, CA 90015 as part of the Awareness Film Festival.

Tickets: https://www.awarenessfestival.org/events/the-golden-age/