Cycle of Memory

Florida Premiere

In 1945, two depression-era teenagers from Brooklyn, George and Mel, rode their bikes to Philadelphia for an adventure they’d remember for the rest of their lives — until Mel loses his memory to Alzheimer’s. Now over seventy years later, filmmaker Alex Leff and his younger sibling Koby travel the same 100-mile bike ride journey based on the photographs their grandfather took, in order to explore his legacy. Their mission is to recreate the photographs and find out how the places have changed since. As we follow their journey, we cut away to scenes in which Alex meets with family members and his grandfather’s lifelong friend to piece together the life of a man who can no longer remember it himself. Using family footage from 1950s film reels to 1990s video tapes, Cycle of Memory explores the importance of intergenerational connection, healing painful pasts, and leaving a meaningful time capsule for the future.

Accompanying the film premiere is a discussion with director Alex Leff and moderator Carly Orshan, Director of CAJE Teen Department and March of the Living. To view the conversation please click here.