Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Busy Me, plus Julie Belmas note
Hm. Well, it's been awhile since I've posted, and it may be longer - several articles to work on in preparation for the film festival, among other things. One thing I'll mention - I wonder if anyone has seen Pale Anguish Keeps, an experimental film about prison that Julie Belmas, or Juliet Belmas, made in 1990? There's not a lot of information about it online - one page from Moving Images BC comes up on searches, but it seems to have been taken down. I'm assuming this is the same Belmas who was a member of Direct Action... Anyone know where she is these days?
Yes, you're right to assume it's the same Julie Belmas. I'm not sure what she's up to lately. Once and a while some newspaper does a "where is she now" piece on her. I see you're a fan of the punk rock, you might be tickled to know Julie was a punk rockin' bass player back in the day. She was in a short-lived version of No Exit, after the original trio split up and before they added the Delaney Bros. Being part of that scene is how she met Gerry Hannah, AKA Gerry Useless of the Subhumans. They were boyfriend-girlfriend y'know. I am enjoy reading your blog & thanks for posting the pics of Furies & Dishrags.
ReplyDeleteCool comment, thanks - I didn't know that she was in No Exit!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I have learned that the film I mentioned in my post was her thesis, and she didn't want her student work made public. The same source, from Moving Images, tells me that Juliet "has since gone on to work in cinematography and done quite a bit of other work on documentaries."
Yes, it is the same Juliet Belmas. And, if you cannot look it up under that title, try 'A year whose days are long'
ReplyDeleteAfter she got out of jail, she lived with her parents while trying to get back onto her feet. She managed to get steady work and moved to Grandville Island and that is when she made this film
The 2 little girls in this movie are her nieces from her brother
In around 2001/2002 her father became ill with Alzheimer's and spent much time with her parents and taking care of them. Unfortunately both the Belmas parents are gone, and I haven't heard from her since 2004/2005
She is now in the movie business working behind the camera... she has an IMDB profile: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0069299/
ReplyDeleteShe came to my Anarchist Art class the other day... she says she has been really busy with work in Vancouver and Toronot...
Pale Anguish Keeps is actually up on Youtube right now:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h8itvRGaJQ
Direct Action was action, and admirable.
Juliet Belmas is no longer in the film union,
ReplyDeleteI suspect she gave up on finding work, with the downturn in the industry, as well as not being a popular crew member… I understand she may do the odd low budjet indy film crew gig, as well , she manages by doing the occasional "anarchist" book fair and similar events where she has a small fan base.