Everyone can relate to having to teach an older family member how to use newer technology. The new film "iMordecai" explores the journey of one man from past to present as he's brought into a new era through an updated phone.
Filmed in South Florida and written and directed by SoFlo local Marvin Samel is the son of the real Mordeai Samel, a Holocaust survivor.
Mordecai, played by Judd Hirsch, is stuck in an ancient time. He has a 20-year-old Motorola flip phone, tied together with electrical tape and tin foil for an antenna. His son, Marvin, drags him to the store to get him an iPhone, but he has no idea how it works, launching his transition into the present.
"The essence of this film is Miami, this is my love letter to Miami," says Marvin. "Every single shot the Samel's have walked the Earth of where this was filmed. They are personal to my parents and I."
His father was always on set so the cast got to see first-hand the relationship between him and Marvin. Sean Astin plays Marvin and by watching the father and son interact on set, he was able to create the character by mixing in parts of his own personality.
This is Marvin's directorial debut, and he hopes audiences will be able to take away the essence of the movie.
"I want people to take away that this is a man and a family who have their ups and downs, and it's there exposed for everyone to see, the pain and the humor...the pain the humor are almost inseparable."
You can catch a screening of "iMordecai" at the 25th edition of the Miami Jewish Film Festival on January 22nd. For tickets, click here
