Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002
Subject: Dancing with My Father
Dear Marcia:
This is the only movie I saw from the entire festival and
I picked a good one. I could relate to it even before
I saw it: Father, husband, dancing, Slovakia, abuse, etc.
You were very brave to confront your father and your husband.
Most men just don't
seem to know how to communicate and hardly ever fulfill
the needs of the women in their lives, whether it be wife,
mother, sister. They just don't get it. My husband
was even worse and my father was too bad to even mention.
The panel discussion was great. The CWRU social work
student I brought to the movie was so grateful to me for
bringing her. I would like to be able to see your
movie again (and some of the others you mentioned).
There is a lot to be learned from your movie and from discussions
it provokes.
Best wishes and good
luck with all your future endeavors.
Fran S.
Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002
Subject: Met At CIFF
Hello,
We met at the film festival after the viewing of your wonderful
film. I have been for the last ten years talking to
my mother trying to understand our family history, which
is remarkable. We were reared in Jackson, Ms; in 1957
my father deserted my mother leaving her with ten children
which she raised by herself with little or no assistance
except my brother. Ours is a torched past with many
twist and turns. I have been understanding myself through
my biography and have learned that I am much more than just
my history. However I think we have to know our history
before we can get to that point. Family history is the hallmark
of mending broken lives I think. I am presently a Judge
on the court of appeals in Cuyahoga county. I am on
the board of the Film Society.
Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002
Subject: film dancing with my father
Dear Marcia:
I recently saw your film at the Cleveland Film Festival
and I was so moved by it that I felt compelled to tell you.
The deep and raw emotion expressed in your film was so moving.
I too, discovered that asking those difficult questions
can be quite cathartic, although with risks. But as
you state in the film "what do I have to lose." Thank
you for presenting such an emotional and visual documentary
of your journey of healing. I can see your movie being the
catalyst for another woman's journey.
Jan Bursky
Date: Thu, 21 Mar 2002
Subject: feedback
Dear Marcia,
I can't tell you how much I identified with your story.
I applaud your courage, and that of your family. I
know that you did the work for so many of us out there,
especially of our age group, trying to understand the dynamics
of our families, and how that impacts upon our lives, decisions,
and relationships. How fortunate you are to be able
to work on these important issues within the realm of your
dedicated and fulfilling career. As you know, I too
am struggling with trying to redefine myself after a painful
divorce following a 25 year marriage. I have worked
very hard to accept my part of the "failure," but I don't
think I really acknowledged my father's role in my lack
of self-confidence, and my inability to "give love".
In my world, the father was the provider, and that was his
only role in my life. Maybe that is why I was comfortable
being so dependent upon my husband, and I am still struggling
so hard to be able to support myself financially.
I am very ambivalent about creating new relationships with
men, and yet I am terrified to be "alone." I know
that my main goal should be to really love and accept myself,
and that the acknowledgement and respect I never got from
my father was a result of his background and family history.
Thank you for reminding me of that. I am taking the advice:
inquest, ingest, digest, manifest, and hope that I will
make progress, however slow it may seem. Good luck
with your film, it is so profoundly significant.
Fondly,
Barbara
Dear Marcia:
How much I loved your film tonight! You were so courageous
to make that movie. I so admire you and your talent!
There were so many people around you tonight after the discussions
ended that I didn't want to take your time telling you all
of this. Please know that I think you are incredibly
talented, insightful,
and very, very courageous. You changed a lot of lives in
that theater tonight, believe me. And, you surely
made everyone think, think, think. The unexamined
life . . . and all that.
Wish I could see the
movie again!
Warmest wishes,
Andrea Krist
Sent: 9 April 2002
Subject: Dancing with My Father
Dear Marcia,
Dancing With My Father had a wonderful, dynamic flow to
it -- like a well choreographed dance. Your creative editing
and frank, direct approach have managed to strike a powerful
chord in the Theater that night. As a producer, I liked
the way you integrated memories that span three generations
and two continents into a sensitive story that touches upon
so many other issues, well beyond the initial personal perspective
that drove to tell your story.
Ornit
Sent: 18 Mar 2002
Subject: Dancing with My Father
Dear Marcia,
My husband and I just returned from seeing your film at
Tower City this afternoon. We both found it very moving
and thought-provoking, and relevant to both our families.
We are both really glad that we made the effort to see the
film; it was well worth it!
All the Best,
Zanna