A short documentary featuring Louie (KR.ONE) Gasparro and his love for graffiti which was rekindled at the legendary 5Pointz graffiti mecca in Long Island City, New York. Louie Gasparro reminisces about what 5Pointz means to him and to the wider graffiti art world.

Interview with Director/Producer/Writer/Editor Eirini Alligiannis

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

The documentary unfolded out of serendipity while I was in New York on an art adventure. I met Louie and discovered his pieces, which inspired me. I had to run back to my camera to showcase his passion and knowledge about 5Pointz. I knew this was a story I wanted to share with the rest of the world - the subject, his work and this place.

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

5Pointz has become a part of Queen’s history for over 40 years. A great collection of artists had fought for this place initially, despite it no longer being there. It has left a massive impression internationally, celebrating collaborative work. Louie speaks candidly about his connection to the work he’s contributed there and divulges into the secretive world of a graffiti artist.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

New York City is undoubtedly one of the most influential cities in the world, and discovering a part of it (Queen’s) through art has opened a new layer for me. I wanted to share the experiences that I saw through my own eyes, for anyone that wanted to learn a prime example about fighting for the sake of art. Louie is an incredible individual who shows why he does what he loves, and how it connects with the people.

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

Ultimately my goal was to seek out the narrative as the filming progressed. I ventured out to the Big Apple with no expectations and my camera, only to discover the importance of connecting with artists who also wanted to see a change in how we nurture our culture.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

As a first-time filmmaker, there were certainly challenges associated with what came into fruition; but the reality is as cinematographer learning how to be a director and producer can be both rewarding and overwhelming. Fortunately, I have surrounded myself with a network of supportive individuals who understood or were encouraging throughout my discovery of creating this narrative.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Absolutely not - it justified my decision to tell my story, in which I hoped would resonate with people. Art is a powerful tool that can communicate and bring us together, and I’ve always tried to encompass this into my work.

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

My goal is to get it seen by people around the world, to build awareness on a subject matter that taps into the cultural zeitgeist and hopefully develops the project further.

First Day i meet Louie and asked him for if i can interview him.

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

I would like to work with producers and financiers who would want to develop the project further, making it into a feature-length project; this would involve a team who are willing to work on the details from the technicalities to evolving the project until the very end. We would look at different artists from around the world, as the key is to get it seen to as many people possible to educate them.

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

My goal is to represent graffiti as a powerful art form and the artists behind it who want to use their voices. The cultural significance of graffiti is just as relevant as the process of fine arts, being an integral part of mapping cultural identities from all walks of life. Art is therapy, language and universal, which should be accessible to all. I want to inspire people who find art intimidating or inaccessible to persist on any canvas, anywhere you are in the world. My message is here: Don’t let anyone stop you from creating.

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

The discussion surrounding, “Is graffiti art?” and how it is perceived culturally around the world. Artists would, therefore, be encouraged to see themselves in relation to the mainstream art culture, and what they can do to move forward with both sides of these perspectives.

Would you like to add anything else?

I would like to develop the project further profiling international graffiti artists from around the world, exploring the cultural impact of the art form in different cultures. For instance, I would love to work with a Brazilian graffiti artist Eduardo Kobra, who creates a cultural journey through a kaleidoscope lens.

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

Thus my next steps are to continue to submit this short film to more festivals and connect with like-minded individuals who believe in this project and would like to continue the journey with me as I share this tale on a global scale.

Interview: March 2019

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. 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

Louie KR ONE Gasparro 5Pointz

A short documentary featuring Louie (KR.ONE) Gasparro and his love for graffiti was rekindled at the legendary 5Pointz graffiti mecca in Long Island City, New York. Louie Gasparro reminisces about what 5Pointz means to him and to the wider graffiti art world.

Length: 5:33

Director: Eirini Alligiannis

Producer: Eirini Alligiannis

Writer: Eirini Alligiannis

About the writer, director and producer:

Director, EIRINI ALLIGIANNIS, was born in Sydney, Australia to Greek immigrant parents who have influenced her attitude towards her artistic endeavours. She is a seasoned professional Digital Media Artist with a wide variety of experience in the Motion and Still picture industries, with a background in Fine Arts. Having diverse yet complementary roles in the film and television industries throughout Australia, USA and London have given her a strong foundation, aesthetically, technically and culturally. She has also exhibited her photography in Sydney, New York, and Paris. She continues to have work on independent films as cinematographer and as a professional stills photographer.

Key cast: Louie Gasparro (Leading role)

Looking for: distributors, film festival directors, buyers, journalists, producers, sales agents

Facebook: Eirini Alligiannis

Instagram: @eiriniphotography

Hashtags used: #LouieKRONEGasparro5pointz

Website: eiriniphotography.com

Other: IMDb, Vimeo

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? 9th Queens World Film Festival/Queens, NYC - 12:15 PM / Sunday, March 31st at the Kaufman The Zukor Theater