Event Information

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT I made Born Innocent to bring joy to music fans. Redd Kross has one of the most enjoyable catalogs and incredible stories in all of rock and roll, yet they are far too little known. The story of Jeff and Steve McDonald, the brothers who formed Redd Kross at ages 11 and 15 and who keep the band going strong to this day, is a story of unyielding creative vision and persistence. I believe getting to know the brothers over the course of the film can provide inspiration to creative people in any field. They believed in themselves, they didn't follow trends, and they were willing to be in opposition to the counterculture they were a part of when they felt it was becoming too hidebound and reactionary. I made a point of telling the story without any directorial narration or text or other interventions. I wanted the story to be told by the people who lived it as well as through archival materials. And I wanted the film to entertain and delight an audience. This is a band who never made it big, and the dominant cultural narrative would label that a failure. The film provides a counterpoint to that narrative. Redd Kross never had a hit or a gold record, and they are still one of the greatest success stories in rock and roll history.– Andrew Reich, 2024 Presented by Third Man Events. This is an all ages event