For me the path suddenly became clear—I could work on music that was different from the ordinary rock & roll, since Piero had given me a context to perform it in.
–Sterling Morrison, guitarist, The Velvet Underground
the invisible father - documentary film
Piero Heliczer filming the Velvet Underground for CBS News, "The Making of an Underground Film", December 1965.
© Adam Ritchie
In the 1960s, beat poet and experimental filmmaker Piero Heliczer helped shape New American Cinema, and was enmeshed with iconic filmmaker Andy Warhol and The Velvet Underground at the very start of their careers. Through interviews with family and friends, found photos, and archival footage, Piero’s daughter, Thérèse, explores the artistic legacy and life of a man she never knew.
This intimate documentary explores the promise and perils of leading an authentic, creative life, and the impact that it can have on the people you leave behind in the process. Can you make peace with never knowing your father if you can find a connection to him through his art?