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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