Expired February 6, 2023 4:45 AM
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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.



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Closed captions for this film were made possible with the generous support of the Miami Jewish Abilities Alliance, a program of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.


  • Year
    2022
  • Runtime
    72 minutes
  • Language
    English
  • Country
    United States
  • Premiere
    Florida Premiere
  • Director
    Alex Leff
  • Screenwriter
    Alex Leff
  • Cast
    Alex Leff, Koby Leff, Connie Schwartz, Mel Schwartz
  • Cinematographer
    Alex Leff, Koby Leff
  • Editor
    Mike J. Nichols