By Eileen Wingard
SAN DIEGO –Yale Strom expresses pride for his latest documentary, Letter to Wedgewood, which will be screened at 4:00 p.m. this Sunday, March 10 at Tifereth Israel Synagogue, 6660 Cowles Mountain Blvd., San Diego. It not only features extensive interviews with Gabriella Labson, the subject of the film, but it has photos, letters and other memorabilia from her personal collection, footage from Strom’s extensive research in Eastern Europe, and archival footage from Yad Vashem, the US Holocaust Museum, Spielberg’s Archives and never-before-seen footage from the Hungarian National Archive.
Strom, a seasoned documentarian, five of whose films have won prizes and broken attendance records, was hired by Labson to make the documentary. The experienced filmmaker used as the basis of the documentary, Labson’s memoir, My Righteous Gentile, which tells the story of her life and how it was saved by Sir Josiah Wedgewood, scion to the famous Wedgewood China producers and a distinguished member of the House of Lords in the British Parliament.
Letter to Wedgewood will be shown at Brandeis University which houses the National Center for Jewish Film. It will also be screened at Wellsley College later this month. The film has already garnered extensive praise from showings at film festivals in Bucharest, Romania and Ashkelon, Israel.
Currently, Artist-in-Residence at San Diego State University, Yale Strom is a multifaceted artist. He is a klezmer violinist, composer, writer, author, photographer and playwright. Strom, author of nine books, is pleased with the response to hi most recent book, Spiel: the Art of Playing Klezmer. His next documentary project will focus on the life of Eugene Victor Debs who ran on the Socialist ticket for president of the United States five times and received over a million votes in 1920. At San Diego State, the Jewish Studies Department will feature a program in the Spring with the well-known violinist, Rachel Pines performing Strom’s newest composition for solo violin.
Both Gabriella Labson and Yale Strom will be present at the Tifereth Israel screening of Letter to Wedgewood and will answer questions following the film. Labson’s book, My Righteous Gentile, will also be available for purchase, with all proceeds going to Tifereth Israel Synagogue. Tickets for the film are $8.00 general, $5.00 Tifereth Israel Synagogue members.
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Wingard is a freelance writer and retired violinist for the San Diego Symphony. She may be contacted via eileen.wingard@sdjewishworld.com