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The Greatest

This short documentary, 'The Greatest' profiles Brooklyn handball legend Joe Durso - the most accomplished athlete you have never heard of. Now retired and broke, Joe looks back on a life dedicated to the sport with a mixture of pride and resentment.

  • Jeremy Medoff
    Director
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 14, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    3,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Coney Island Film Festival
    Brooklyn, New York
    September 19, 2015
  • Drive In Film Festival
    Vineland, New Jersey
    August 27, 2015
Director Biography - Jeremy Medoff

Jeremy Medoff is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker and editor. His work as an editor can be seen in dozens of broadcast commercials for clients such as Mastercard, BMW, Mercedes Benz USA. He has also worked on projects for museum installation and screening including “Home Delivery: Prefabricating the Modern Dwelling,” at MoMA , “IMAGELESS: The Scientific Study and Experimental Treatment of an Ad Reinhardt Black Painting,” at the Guggenheim and the video installation “The Art of Car Design,” on permanent display at The Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich. Medoff has also directed, shot, and edited personal projects, including “The Fisherman,” a pilot about a Japanese man who travels the world looking for the perfect catch. He received his BA in Filmmaking from Hampshire College.

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Director Statement

When I first met Joe Durso, he had less then $1000 in the bank and an apartment full of trophies. He told me that he was a champion at handball but a failure at life. So was it worth it? That’s the question I initially had; Was it worth sacrificing your marriage, your career and your life to be the best at a sport no one outside Coney Island cares about? This is the question I wanted the film to ask.