This film is a day in the life of my grandfather, Anthony Lisinichia, 88-years-old. Child of the depression, WWII veteran, widower and patriarch, "Eighty-Eight" documents some simple activities of his life: going to the YMCA, shopping for groceries and visiting the cemetery. His life might follow a routine that most people wouldn't think was too terribly exciting, but once I was a part of that routine I realized how fulfilling it really is. Life doesn't have to be big to be beautiful.
I met many of my grandfather's friends from the YMCA during the shoot, some who are in their mid-nineties. Incredibly dynamic, active and as mentally sharp as any thirty-year-old, they live their lives in the background of our society while holding the wisdom of the twentieth century in their hearts and minds. Sadly our society marginalizes senior citizens to an alarming extent. If people actually took the time to talk to the senior citizens in their families and communities, to really talk to them about their childhoods, their lives, their opinions on the world, I think people would see how important they are. How their insight and perspective can be invaluable in helping us understand our world and ourselves. I am so lucky to have been able to make this film with my grandfather and grateful for the lessons I learned from it. We had a great time making the film and the project brought us much closer. Now we are not just grandfather and granddaughter, we are friends, and co-creators in film.
Tara Milutis