Here is the schedule for the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. It is great to be part of such a prestigious festival. The number of A-list stars in attendance is quite impressive. (Beverly D’Angelo—National Lampoon Vacation movies, Tania Shire—The Godfather and Rocky movies, Martin Landau—Crimes and Misdemeanors and North by Northwest, Armand Assante—Gotti and Jack the Ripper)

Blake, Shelley and I hope to see you at some of these events. Please email us if you are going.

Save November 10, 2016 or November 11, 2016 for going to the movies.

“The Stairs” will be shown on the 10th at 3:30 pm at Cinema Paradiso–Hollywood—2008 Hollywood Boulevard. Hollywood, FL 33019 at 3:30 pm.

“The Stairs” will also be shown on the November 11th, 2016 at 1:00 at the above address.

Blake and I will be at both of these shows. Hope to see you there.
General Admission $11.00— Senior $8.00—Students $7.00. Here is the link to purchase tickets.

https://ticketing.us.veezi.com/purchase/3603?siteToken=hMzHjT81cEyNYOmmZNlXOw==

If you are planning to go to Cinema Paradiso, it is a classic old theater with limited seating (74 seats). I recommend buying your tickets ASAP because five other short films will also be shown. This event should sell out.

FLIFF’s poster was unveiled. I love the poster. It represents the best of For Lauderdale—a sunny day at the beach and sitting in your beach chair. Catch The director’s chair in middle of photo.

Here is what the FLIFF program says about our film: 

Synopsis

Filmmaker

Screenplay: Mort Laitner / Producers: Blake Laitner, Mort Laitner / Cinematographer: Duncan O’Bryan / Editor: Duncan O’Bryan / Composer: Jefferey Rondeau / Production Designer: Jill Murphy Long / Art Director: Erin Toft / Principal Cast: David Poland, Dennis Fitzpatrick, Anne Voxx, Daniel Timothy Treacy, Peter Glazer, Drew Thacher / Contact: Mort Laitner—mortlaitner@bellsouth.net

DIRECTOR: Hakym Reagan: I am an African filmmaker from Rwanda. I was born in Burundi and I lived there most of my childhood. In high school, my passion was studying cameras. I spent nights and days trying to figure out the best way to take a photograph. I also started developing passion connected to photography. That is when I focused more and more of my time on films. I made my first short film in March of 2008. I attended College at Wheeling Jesuit University. I am proud to have directed two short independent films, “The American Dream” (2015) and “A Hebraic Obsession” (2016)

Hope to see you at one or both of these showings.

Author, Mort Laitner announced the launching of his first picture book, “The Hanukkah Bunny.”

“The story takes the reader to the Catskill Mountains in the fifties and the sixties, (remember the Concord and Grossinger’s) to present day life in South Florida, where the author’s life intersects with the lives of rabbits. One of those bunnies becomes fixated with a dreidel and a menorah and teaches children of all ages the meaning of the Hanukkah. This award-winning, inspirational tale makes a great Hanukkah present. Whether you read it to them or they read it to you, “The Hanukkah Bunny” offers a great way for your children or grandchildren to enjoy a contemporary tale with a message of awe, love, and dedication.”

This is Laitner’s third Jewish-themed book,(“A Hebraic Obsession” and “The Greatest Gift–Award-Winning Stories Filled With Life Lessons“) He is also the producer and script writer of the film the “Stairs”. Laitner stressed that, “On any of the eight nights, after lighting the menorah, eating latkes, singing songs, spinning the dreidal and handing out the gelt, your family will enjoy this funny, educational and inspirational story about a bunny who was captivated by Hanukkah.”

“This is a true story. It happened to me. The book starts in the Borscht Belt and ends in South Florida. I am proud that it introduces children of all ages to this festival of joy and how miracles can be found in our daily our lives,” Laitner commented.

Laitner surprised himself in writing a children’s book about a Jewish holiday. “I never thought I would write a picture book or any book about any Jewish holiday.

Now that he has done it. He can not wait to write another for Jewish children.

Miami- Dade College professor, Ricki Dorn raved,  “I love the story. Rabbitat, ha ha. Not being a tree hugger particularly, I was still enchanted by components of ski slopes and schussing, by the huge lawn Hanukkah decorations, and by the rabbit’s attention to the spinning dreidel. Yes, the Hanukkah bunny must have been impressed by the story of “a great miracle happened there….” lo, all those years ago in Cooper City?  Well, I do not know about that but close enough.—–

The book is available on Amazon.

For more information about this book and the author visit: www.mortlaitner.com