iMordecai

iMordecai is a 2022 dramatic comedy film written, directed, and produced by Marvin Samel. The film, about a Holocaust survivor whose life changes when his son buys him an iPhone, stars Judd Hirsch, Carol Kane, and Sean Astin. Based on Samel's real life experiences, iMordecai is his directorial debut.

iMordecai
Directed byMarvin Samel
Written by
  • Marvin Samel
  • Rudy Gaines
  • Dahlia Heyman
Produced by
  • Marvin Samel
  • Dahlia Heyman
Starring
CinematographyWill Turner
Edited byRick Grayson
Music byMatthew Kajcienski
Distributed byGreenwich Entertainment
Release dates
  • October 28, 2022 (2022-10-28) (Naples International Film Festival)
  • February 24, 2023 (2023-02-24) (United States)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$140,272[1]

Greenwich Entertainment released iMordecai in select U.S. cinemas on February 24, 2023. The film’s digital and VOD release is scheduled for April 11, 2023.[2]

Premise

A Holocaust survivor’s confrontation with an iPhone challenges him to face the realities of the modern world.[3]

Cast

Production

In 2014 Marvin Samel’s wife Netta gave birth to their twin daughters, and his mother Fela was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. As a coping mechanism, Samel began compiling the colorful stories of his family’s past that he had shared in order to entertain the audiences at cigar events he hosted.[4]

He decided the stories could be a basis for a film so started writing a screenplay and engaged veteran screenplay writer Rudy Gaines as his collaborator. When the script was completed, Dahlia Heyman, an award-winning screenwriter and former creative executive at World Film Group, came on board as a Producer. She introduced Samel to industry veteran, and award-winner in his own right, Allen Bain, who agreed to be the film’s Executive Producer.[5]

Heyman and Bain connected Samel with award-winning casting director Avy Kaufman who arranged a meeting between Judd Hirsch and Samel. Tony Award winner Stephanie J. Block signed on to play Samel’s wife Netta and a casting call turned up newcomer, Azia Dinea Hale, to play a key role in the film as a young iPhone techie.

iMordecai was shot on location in Florida. The locations were personal to Samel and his parents as he made use of his parents favorite spots for locations. Even though the film is shot in Miami, it has a New York sensibility — the characters are all New Yorkers, via Poland, Siberia, Israel — as Samel’s formative years were spent in New York.[6][7][8]

Release

iMordecai had its theatrical release in South Florida, as Samel wanted to acknowledge the contribution and support he had received from the South Florida community where the film takes place, was shot and produced.[9] It then opened in New York City at the Quad Cinema.[10]

References
  1. "iMordecai". Box Office Mojo. 2023-04-28. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  2. "iMordecai". Greenwich Entertainment.
  3. Newcott, Bill (March 2, 2023). "iMordecai — Movies for the Rest of Us with Bill Newcott". The Saturday Evening Post.
  4. Merrill, Mia (February 24, 2023). "'iMordecai' Shows How Technology Changes a Holocaust Survivor — And His Family". Kveller.
  5. "IMordecai is My First Time on a Film Set — and I'm Directing Legends". 19 April 2023.
  6. Korb, Gary (March 2023). "How A Top Cigar Maker Became A Filmmaker – An Interview With Marvin Samel". Cigar Advisor.
  7. Rolland, David (January 11, 2022). "iMordecai Is a Love Letter to Miami and Family". Miami New Times.
  8. Rubin, Karen (19 October 2022). "First-Time Filmmaker Marvin Samel Discusses the Making of 'iMordecai' at Gold Coast International Film Festival". goingplacesfarandnear.com.
  9. "iMordecai premieres in South Florida on February 8th". WSFL-TV. February 6, 2023.
  10. Silver, Stephen (February 24, 2023). "The real story behind Jewish family comedy 'iMordecai' and its unusual path to the big screen". Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA).
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