Jo Andres Dies: ‘Black Kites’ Filmmaker, Wife Of Steve Buscemi Was 64
Jo Andres, director of the 1996 festival circuit hit Black Kites and wife for 31 years to actor Steve Buscemi, has died. She was 64. (Some reports put Andres’ age at 65).
Neither a cause nor date of death has been disclosed, but a memorial service reportedly was held Tuesday at the couple’s home in Brooklyn.
An artist whose works combining dance, light projections and film were featured at such downtown Manhattan hot spots of the 1980s as La Mama E.T.C., The Performing Garage and P.S. 122, Andres later became a dance consultant to the acclaimed Wooster Group performing arts center. According to Andres’ website, she was, at various times over a long career, an artist in residence at numerous universities, museums and art colonies including Yaddo and The Rockefeller Study Center in Bellagio, Italy.
Black Kites, a 26-minute film based on the 1992 journals and drawing of Sarajevan visual artist Alma Hajric, was written and directed by Andres and starred Mimi Goese and Buscemi. Lucian Buscemi, the then-six-year-old son of the actor and Andres, also appeared in the film.
Watch the film below.
Black Kites was screened at the Sundance, Toronto, Berlin, London and New York’s Human Rights Watch film festivals. It later aired on PBS. Andres’ other film work includes the 2012 short Liquid Tara, and videos of her performance pieces. She directed the 2013 music video When The Curtain Comes Down for Diana Krall and starring Buscemi that was played during singer-pianist’s international tour.
Andres married Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire, Reservoir Dogs, The Big Lebowski, among many others) in 1987. The actor survives her, as does their son Lucian. No other details were immediately available.
“Condolences to Steve Buscemi and loved ones on his loss,” tweeted actor James Woods. “This fine family was so supportive of first responders during 9/11 tragedy.”
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