Greetings Friends,

We’re sending out our first newsletter to update you about our filmmaking progress on Forgotten Jewels, a Haven in Havana. Several years into this project, Judy and Robin remain committed to documenting the precious stories of Jewish refugees who escaped Nazi-occupied Europe and found safe haven in Cuba. Our ‘diamond in the rough’ is becoming a polished gem so that these stories can be shared with a wide audience. We expect to complete the film this fall with a New York Premiere in January 2017. We will continue to keep you posted about our progress!

In April, we screened our rough edit to more than 200 people at the Canyon Theater in Boulder, Colorado. The feedback we received has been critical to helping shape the film as we refine the cut, revealing areas that needed more explanation or depth. Thank you to all who came and shared your responses with us! We are incorporating many of your suggestions and extending the film length to one hour.

HELP US FINISH THE FILM

As we face our final financial hurdle to tell this story, we are seeking donations and sponsors to help support finishing costs of over $20,000. You can donate HERE. All donors will be recognized on our website and in the film credits. Donations are tax-deductible.

Please join us in preserving this beautiful story of resilience and the human spirit. Help us keep this history alive for our families and future generations! Special thanks to our fiscal sponsor, the National Center for Jewish Film.

Please email us if you would like to receive a budget overview and understand more about our film costs.

PLEASE DONATE

May 2016 - Judy was invited to Havana to present at the International Conference on Jews of Cuba at El Patronato Synagogue.

From Havana, Judy flew to New York to speak to the Joint Distribution Committee Archives Committee, invited by JDC Global Archive Director Linda Levi. Judy presented a portion of the film, which received an overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic response from those at the meeting.

Thanks to Richard and Ronnie Grosbard who generously hosted a film preview in their New York home. Close to thirty people attended, and again, the suggestions and responses were fantastic.

Watch Our New Trailer

June 2016 - Vince Cherico, Gregg August, and Pablo Moya recorded original Cuban music for us at Peter Karl Studios, New York. Fabuloso!

Meanwhile, at Coupe Studios in Boulder, Kip Kuepper is bringing his artistry to the project through his creation of an amazing musical score, with original compositions by Kip, Aron Kaufman and Pablo Moya.

Visit our WEBSITE

Visit us on FACEBOOK

We would like to send our deepest condolences to the family of Marion Frolich. She passed away peacefully in June, and we will dedicate our film to her memory. We are forever grateful to all who have shared their personal memories and entrusted us with their stories.

(A personal note from Judy: I am honored to work with a filmmaker as gifted as Robin Truesdale. Her love of stories, music, movement and documentary film is apparent in everything she edits and creates.)

With deepest thanks to you all!
Judy & Robin