LEAVING A LEGACY

Barbara J. Steinberg to be Honored at the Greenwich Village Film Festival

By Richard Eric Weigle

Some people are good talkers while others are doers, and there are a few who manage to do both. Longtime Morton Street resident, Barbara J. Steinberg, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 91, was an example of the latter. Barbara could talk and talk, but she was also a doer.

Quirky, charming, lovely, ebullient, occasionally taciturn, long winded, but always interesting, frugal yet generous, Barbara moved to Greenwich Village because she embodied all of the above and wanted to embrace the freedom and creativity for which Greenwich Village is famous for around the world. She loved The Village and waxed poetic about its charms and changes, always putting her money and energy where her mouth was. Extremely active in the Morton Street Block Association, along with the help of BBC President Kathy Donaldson and Assembly Woman and Village resident, Deborah Glick, they replaced the unsightly “Cobra” lampposts with the more historic and pleasing to the eye, Bishop Crooks Lampposts. They will be enjoyed by generations to come.

Barbara was also active in local politics and loved supporting her friends in all of their endeavors. She personally supported my performances as a tenor with The New York Choral Society, attending almost every one of my concerts at Carnegie Hall stretching over 30 years.

She also loved The Greenwich Village Film Festival and attended not only every festival since its inception in 2015, but every night of every festival. This meant that while in her late 80s up until 90 years of age, she made her way from Morton Street to West 13th Street, even purchasing tickets for her friends and attending every after-party until the very end. Knowing that my husband, Michael Anastasio and I are two of the organizers of the festival along with founders, Alessia Gatti and Antonio Padovan, was a source of great pride for her. She truly was our biggest fan and cheerleader.

In her will, she bequeathed a generous sum of money to The Greenwich Village Film Festival because she believed very strongly in its mission to keep Greenwich Village alive as a creative space and retain as much of its Bohemian atmosphere as possible. During her over 60 years living on her beloved Morton Street, she supported theater, concerts, comedy clubs, block association events, house tours, lectures, and political gatherings and protests, large and small.

Thus it gives us great pleasure to honor Barbara J. Steinberg on opening night of this year’s festival on Tuesday, November 11 at The Quad Cinema at 34 W. 13th Street at 7 p.m. We will also be screening a short film she appeared in titled Flitter Flutter Thud which proves that a skilled filmmaker can tell a compelling and interesting story in three minutes. So kudos to Indian director, Uday Benegal, for doing just that and for giving us permission to show his film.

So if you also love the Village, please consider supporting the 11th Annual Greenwich Village Film Festival by purchasing a ticket or two after November 1 at https://www.greenwichvillagefilmfestival.com.

Any night you attend, you will view a sampling of short documentaries, animated films and short narrative films from around the world. Last year’s winner was I’m Not A Robot from The Netherlands which went on to win an Academy Award for Best Short Film.

The Film Festival and Bishop Crooks Lampposts do not scratch the surface of Barbara’s legacy. She will be remembered for her kindness, grace, generosity and her ability to bring people together, or “make a mitzvah,” as she would say. That was her greatest joy. Clearly Barbara understood the importance of leaving something behind, and as I am now an octogenarian, I grapple with what I want my legacy to be. I consider my interest in books, films, theater, neighborhood beautification, local institutions and organizations that I love and admire. Even if it is as simple as planting a tree, making a small donation or volunteering, I think that most of us want to leave the world a slightly better place than we found it. Thank you Barbara for the inspiration.