Frank

Some people can’t wait for retirement, but not Frank Lucianna! As a lawyer for more than seventy years – making him the oldest practicing attorney in the US – at 99-years-old  Frank finally feels like it’s time to slow down and is about to plead for the last time. With short film Frank, director David Gauvey Herbert follows this remarkable man as he gets closer to the end of his incredibly long career. Perfectly blending nostalgia and humor, this portrait documentary is a charming and delightful watch.

“I had spent less than a week with Frank in the final year of his life. But length of acquaintance is not always indicative of depth of connection”, Herbert shared in his New Yorker article. A sentiment that is very much felt through the film. Frank is not a formulaic portrait documentary, in capturing the attorney’s final case and the end of his career, Herbert makes sure to infuse his film with his charismatic participant’s personality. The rapport he builds with Frank gives the film an undeniably genuine quality, inviting audiences into the 99-year-old’s world. 

With the director making the conscious choice of focusing on the lawyer’s last trial, instead of purposefully digging into his past, Herbert lets it surface naturally, when Frank, his daughter or his coworker bring it up. “Rather than trying to squeeze the vastness of this extraordinary life into fifteen minutes, we met the man in this moment, as he summoned the strength for one last case”, the filmmaker explained – again in the New Yorker. This approach echoes how Frank lived his life – in the present – and the agency he had over his choices. 

The cinematography by Nate Hurtsellers allows the viewer to really feel like Frank is talking directly to us – whether in his office or over a plate of churros at his regular diner. While Dustin Waldman’s sharp edit captures Frank’s wit and passion for his job in criminal defense. Together, they find the perfect balance between the lightness of Frank’s reflections on aging, and the heaviness of his job, offering exceptional insight into his life on both factual and emotional levels. 

Frank had its World Premiere at the 2024 edition of SXSW, where it won a Special Jury Award and an Audience Award. The film went on to be selected at several other festivals, including the Palm Springs ShortFest, where it earned a Special Mention, before debuting online through The New Yorker. He has since co-created and EPed HBO’s Ren Faire.