ALTINA is a spectacular movie about an amazing woman. It is fresh, uplifting, full of the rich history of a woman from this well known family. Her powerful personality filled her creative side and her life to change her world and those around her. Altina is a woman that could live today. She is someone you want to know. She was fresh, alive and vibrant and you can feel that while watching this beautiful movie. The art and the history of art during her time is so magnificently projected-this movie is a MUST SEE for anyone.

Paula Johnson


I apologize for not getting this to you sooner.
I have told everyone who would listen about your movie, I have written to friends in Los Angeles to RUN to see Altina as soon as they can, upon its arrival, and I have put some good words about it on Facebook.

I was thrilled to see your movie; I have never seen anything quite like it before.
I found it to be wonderfully planned, executed and visually captivating.
I adored the honesty about Altina’s sex life, which I found so real.
Altina lived partly in the same years my mother did; I wish my mother had had the guts and the courage that Altina had – and the self-permission to follow her intuitions and instincts. Altina was an actualized woman who showed up long before that was fashionable….

Thank you so much for staying after the movie ended to talk with us, answer our questions and ask for our reviews.
I think you’ve created a wonderful, provocative movie with a very large audience.

Warmly,
Alice Aspen March

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IFC premiere. NYC


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IFC premiere. NYC September12th.


If only I would have met this wonderful lady…Artist and inventor…among many other things…she invented the infamous harlequin “Cat Eye” glasses… August 4, 1907 – August 19, 1999 American sculptor, filmmaker, entrepreneur, window dresser, designer and inventor, best known for designing the Harlequin eyeglass frame.


http://www.pinterest.com/malaine29/altina-schinasi-miranda-sanders-barrettcarey/

Stacey Zigler


Hi Pete,

Just wanted to tell you that I loved, loved, loved the movie Altina yesterday.
The music for each of the time periods was perfectly matched to each decade of Altina’s life. You so poignantly demonstrated that although Altina was a woman of means, she never flaunted her wealth, but emerged a complex, gifted and unusual human being. Thank you for bringing this fascinating woman’s story to me (and the public).

Felicia Servetz
(Sarasota Film Festival)


Peter,

We met and chatted briefly on the red carpet at the Van Wezel on Friday.
Just watched your film and was quite enthralled. Brilliant. What a talented and interesting woman, it almost felt as if I was watching a movie about someone I knew, the way it was made, was really personal, and I have to admit shedding a couple of tears during the film. Totally fascinating and brilliantly made. Your grandmother was an incredibly talented and wonderful person, and your film’s portrayal of her and her life is delightful.
I am asking my older daughter to ask her grandfather (my ex-father in law)if he knew the Chirasi family. He is a robust 97 year old Sephardi Jew, born in Istanbul, (the family fled Spain at the time of the inquisition, and have lived in Turkey ever since), and he is quite a big shot in the Jewish community there. Raphael Torel (original name was Fresco, but he changed in during the early 30’s I believe).

Apologies, rambling on. Anyway, so happy to have met you and so delighted to have seen your film. I will share the movie with my mum when I go over to the UK in the summer, I know she will adore it.

I wish you every success with this gem, and am sure you and your family are enjoying much ‘nachas’!

Best
Caroline Sansone
(photographer)


Dear Peter

I thoroughly enjoyed your movie. You know you’re seeing a good one when you don’t look at your watch!
I even got teary-eyed at the end seeing Tino’s grief.

For ID purposes, I am the SFF volunteer who took your picture around the theatre earlier in the festival.

If you have an extra CD or DVD, whichever, I would love to have one for my daughter who is an artist, and teaches art and film in Baltimore. She has an M.A.T. (M.A. Teaching). She absolutely loves movies and I hope she can work the festival with me next year. She also has a pair of glasses, the style of which your grandmother designed. I told her and she thinks that is really cool.

I will be at the Yacht Club event tomorrow (Friday), or I could pop by the theatre, whatever.

Thanks,
Zoe Conrad