PITTSBURGH, PA.- Andy Warhol’s niece—photographer and filmmaker Abby Warhola—and her partner—visual artist and filmmaker Jesse Best—are launching a $175,000 Kickstarter campaign through Warhola Films to produce UNCLE ANDY: The Andy Warhol Family Film , a feature-length documentary film about the Pop Art icon. The unique
UNCLE ANDY Kickstarter campaignwillbelivefromMarch3toApril3.
UNCLE ANDY will pull back the curtain like never before to reveal the untold story of one of the most celebrated artists in history through the eyes and voices of those who knew him best since the day he was born, his immediate family—the Warholas of Pittsburgh. This fresh, intimate portrait of Andy’s life, work, and legacy, from humble son of a working class Steel City family to legendary artist and sovereign of the infamous Silver Factory scene, will be brought to life by siblings, nieces, nephews,andothers.
“Listening to the public and media talk about my uncle while I was growing up was always so different from how my family described him around the dinner table,” Abby said. “Sure he was eccentric and world famous, but to us he was always just Uncle Andy. That’s the side of him Jesse and I aim to capture in our film—the gentle, charming, and talented Andy Warhol behind closed doors.”
Utilizing their unprecedented access to Andy’s family, Abby and Jesse have been documenting the Warholas and their memories of Andy for the past several years. They have already shot countless hours of footage for UNCLE ANDY , including rare appearances by family members who have since passed away.When Abby's grandfather—Andy’s oldest brother and celebrated artist Paul Warhola—died at age 91, the filmmakers decided to translate their archival footage into a feature-lengthdocumentaryfilmbeforethevaluableoralandvisualhistorieswerelost.
The many relatives who will appear in UNCLE ANDY to share their memories of Andy Warhol include,amongseveralothers:
● PaulWarhol, Andy's oldest brother, and a former scrap dealer and celebrated artist;
● AnneWarhola,Andy'ssister-in-law,andwifeofartistPaulWarhola;
● PaulC.Warhola,Andy’soldestnephew,andachurchpastor;
● EveBusse,Andy’soldestniece,andaholisticpractitioner;
● MaryLouWarhola,Andy’sniece,andWarholafamilyphotographerandaPsankyartist;
● GeorgeWarhola,Andy’snephewandscrapdealer,wholivedwithAndyandhelped overseehisoperationsattheFactoryinthemid80's;
● JamesWarhola,Andy’snephew,andaworld-renowned artist,knownforhiscontributions toMAD magazine,coverartfor300+books,andhisownchildren’sbook,UncleAndy's ;
● Madalen“Maddie”Warhola,Andy’sniece,andascreenprinter;
● MartyWarhola,Andy’snephew,andascrapdealerandartist.
The $175,000 raised through the UNCLE ANDY Kickstarter campaign will cover all production and post-production expenses.In accordance with Kickstarter.com guidelines, the filmmakers have 30 days to reach their crowdsourcing goal and then move forward in creating their story. As a reward for contributing to the campaign, Warhola Films will be offering contributors the opportunity to win a visit to the childhood home of Andy Warhol for a traditional Carpatho-Rusyn dinnerwithhisfamily,T-shirts,signedlimitededitionprints,andoriginalWarholafamilyart.
