On my drive up to St. Pete for Silver Screen Short Film Festival, I see road signs of my past “Stetson Law School” and Gulfport. These signs are reminders of  the summer and fall of 1971 when I lived in Gulfport and attended law school at Stetson—memories of a past life.

I check into my hotel and I walk to the Muvico which is only two blocks away—a good sign. There is Anjany the festival organizer. He is selling tee shirts with the festival logo on it. I jump to buy one for my producer son, Blake.

This is first time I am going to see my film on a large silver screen—I am more than excited.

There is a $100.00 prize for best film and I think I have a shot.

April Lufriu, Mrs. World 2012, introduces the filmmakers to a crowd of over 150 short film fans. I get to say a few words on what inspired me to make the movie. This is extremely hard to do with a beautiful Mrs. World standing next to me.

I am the third film to be shown. I am encouraged by the fact that my Fallsburgh Central High School buddy, Anita and her husband Herm, have come to see the film. They live in Tampa and have brought two other selection committee members from the Tampa Jewish Film Festival with them.

I sit impatiently waiting and praying for my movie. Will it play properly?

I see the Braunbaer Studio logo hit the screen. My movie is beautiful on a 50′ by 20′ foot screen. I can clearly see the twinkle in the actor’s eyes. I love it and by the end of the evening I think it is the best film of the night. The audience loves it as the applause rolls on for an extra 10 seconds. (But who is counting)

My ears, my eyes and my heart kvell. They gush and swell causing me to become verklempt.

After the showing, I network and schmooze with the other movies stars, producers and the new fans of my film.

“Amazing” declares one of the Tampa Jewish Film Festival selection committee members.

“I loved it! It caused me to cry, ” said an actor from another film.

And at least seven people said something like this,”I know a Holocaust survivor and…”

The movie created a nexus between their lives with survivors and what they had just seen.

Each congratulatory handshake or kiss felt like I was being handed an Oscar.

Well, I did not win the $100.00, It was awarded based on the spin of a roulette-type wheel with the name of each film posted on it. I felt no pain. Seeing the film on the big screen, hearing the audience’s applause and listening to them kwell about the movie was worth ten times the amount of the prize.

On the drive home to Cooper City, I see road signs reading “Venice” and “Laurel” and I daydream about winning laurels and attending the Venice Film Festival—hopeful  signs of my future.

What the readers are saying:

Congratulations! Sounds like it was a very special day , wish I lived closer to share it with you!—Terry

So proud of you, Mort! Congratulations on the great response you received for this movie. The story needed to be told and you did a terrific job as its author! Gerri

Congratulations Mort! The story of the story/film expanding and stirring emotions as people relate and respond is heartening….Debra

Life is good….Gabby

Mazel Tov… Penny

Just so moving… Elaine

Very exciting… Barbara

Congrats must be a great felling of accomplishment… Cari

 
PARADISO SPEECH— June 25, 2016

Theme “LOVE”— Agape— Martin Buber “I- Thou”

Thank you’s: Shelley loving support in helping to make the film, Uncle Mike and Aunt Renia, survivors, for their support and consultations about my dad, My sons: Blake the producer of the movie , Travis, videographer here today, Jason legal skills drafting contracts, my sister Barbara consulting about our dad, the Portland, Oregon cast and crew of the movie. Reporter, Randall Lieberman for getting so many articles in the Jewish Journal. Thanks to my friends for being here tonight and finally I want thank my dad for being my hero.

I realize how lucky I am to have been able make a movie about my father—very few people get that honor.

And with that honor came many tears.

The tears I shed on my steps in my home, listening to the story you are seeing tonight,

The tears I shed, in front of law partner he first time I read the story out loud,

The tears I shed, while watching on monitor in film production the actor playing my dad, mannerisms, accent the way he held his glass one remembrance tear.

The tears I shed the first time I watched this movie on my desktop.

The movie you are going to see tonight came to life 57 years ago:

1. In 1959, a ten-year-old listens to my father tell the story. I see and hear: the plot, the scene, the characters, the dialogue and start forming my POV;
2. In 1988, I mentioned this story in my father’s eulogy.
3. In 2007 at the Miami-Dade County Health Department I wrote the short story entitled “The Stairs” and reading it out loud I cried.
4. In 2010, I read the story to a packed audience on Miami Beach and heard “perfect silence” from the audience. My story had capture their hearts.
5. In 2014, I published the book “A Hebraic Obsession” in which “The Stairs” is the first chapter.
6. In 2015, I wrote the screenplay and we filmed the movie in Portland.
7. And here we are in 2016, at the World Premiere.

I hope you enjoy the movie and learn more about my dad.

A dad, who loved life, loved his family, friends and patients, and

I think my dad would have loved the film you are seeing tonight.

A loving aunt and uncle respond to reading speech.

Dear Morton,

It was a pleasure to read your speech that you gave at the opening of the dedication of the film honoring your father. Your father would be very proud of you.

I also want to thank you very much for the honor you gave us at the speech. As an aunt and Uncle of yours we could not be more thankful for this great honor.

We love you and are proud of having you as a nephew.

Love, Mike and Renia

From age 10 until age 16, I collected coins and stamps. I loved holding them in my hands. I stared  under a magnifying glass studying their designs as if I were a scientist searching for a cure to cancer. This was more than a hobby. This was pure pleasure. My collections were my buried treasure. They gave me a sense of worth.

Now at age 67, I have started a new collection. I now collect film festival paraphernalia: laurels, awards, admissions, logo-emblazoned festival tee shirts, film-festival movie tickets and winner certificates. I litter my office with these trophies wanting to surround myself with their love.

And here is the kicker.

I am getting that pure pleasure back into my life 51 years after I stopped collecting coins and stamps. The joy of collecting and fantasying treasure. My collector gene lied dormant only to pop back into my psyche with the acquisition of a new hobby.

So what is the moral of this short tale.

“It is never too late to acquire a new hobby and bring joy back into your life.”