In 1960s New York City, Terri Thal was a manager of folk musicians, including Bob Dylan, while Richard Kostelanetz was a pioneer in the literary avant-garde. Now, sixty years later, they’ve met online and fallen in love. On Richard’s 84th Birthday, they poetically reflect on their legacy and mortality while embracing the beauty and intimacy of their shared present.
Featuring Terri Thal and Richard Kostelanetz
Supported by the Jerome Foundation Artist Fellowship
Official SelectionAFI FEST 2026
DOC NYC 2026
New/Next Film Festival 2026
Bend Film Festival 2026
New Hampshire Film Festival 2026
Director's Statement
I met Richard, my first cousin twice removed, after moving to New York City following college. Despite Richard being surrounded by a fertile creative community, I sensed a quiet loneliness in him. Everything changed when he met Terri two years ago. They shared a love of art and books, and soon they fell for each other.
I met Richard, my first cousin twice removed, after moving to New York City following college. Despite Richard being surrounded by a fertile creative community, I sensed a quiet loneliness in him. Everything changed when he met Terri two years ago. They shared a love of art and books, and soon they fell for each other.
Through Terri, I gained an insider’s account of the vibrant 1960s folk music scene of New York’s West Village, and through Richard, a deep entry point into the avant-garde literary world of the East Village. Actively artmaking well into their later years, they challenge ageist stereotypes about creativity, desire, and intellectual rigor. Spending time in their unique home—a converted knitting factory housing over 20,000 rare books and records—I reflected on the many collaborators who passed through their lives and on the space’s uncertain future.
Even amid loss and physical limitation, Terri and Richard chose intimacy over isolation, sustained by art as a lifelong source of spiritual renewal. Making this film became my way of contributing to their legacy, documenting their continued artistic impact and sharing that it’s never too late to find love.
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