11 May
A Letter to David: Cinema, Brotherhood, Memory, and Humanity Intertwined 
May 8, 2026 The 20th Annual Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival
April 30, 2026 You Are Cordially Invited To - The Drama
April 28, 2026 The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026)
"Goodness is Building Bridges Without Judgment" - Interview with Deborah F. Blum
May 13, 2026
By Bessy ADUT
Deborah Fletcher Blum, artist, educator, and filmmaker, grew up watching foreign and independent films at her uncle's Laemmle Theaters. She studied English and history at Brown University, painting and photography at Rhode Island School of Design, and earned a B.A. in English from UCLA, then trained to be a Waldorf teacher, and taught in Waldorf schools in New York, Los Angeles, and Kenya. She founded 7811 Art Gallery with her husband, Warren, in 2023. The research for "Laemmle's List" began in 2014, and the film was completed in 2024. Deborah is grateful to the friends and family who assisted in the process.
Where are you located?
I am located in Los Angeles, near West Hollywood and Laurel Canyon. I love this area with its fresh air, tall trees, and animals like birds, coyotes, and owls. I also like living near Sunset Blvd and West Hollywood and the historic Hollywood architecture.
What are your current projects?
I am excited to have completed "Laemmle's List," my first film, a feature documentary, and am focusing on distributing it and sharing its message. I have ideas for other documentaries, and I am always reading and exploring new ideas.
How did you get started and what led you to where you are today?
When I was growing up in Santa Monica, I watched foreign and independent films at Laemmle Theaters, art house cinemas founded by my grandfather and great-uncle. My first job was selling popcorn at the Monica Theaters. I also saw plays and musicals, and my sister and I put on skits. I was drawn to the visual arts and studied photography and painting. I also studied history, which taught me to read between the lines, and literature, which taught me about story structure, writing, and emotional impact.
After college, I traveled and completed documentary photography projects. I researched cultures and built bridges. These skills helped when making "Laemmle's List. When I began the documentary, I joined the International Documentary Association, the IDA, attended classes and workshops, and took online seminars in filmmaking. Our fiscal sponsor From the Heart Productions and Foundation and Decision Makers Meeting, a forum started by Mara McCann, have been helpful in connecting us to creatives who helped us finish the film.
I am grateful to friends, filmmakers, and family members who watched rough cuts with us along the way and gave feedback. Also, I am extremely grateful to my friend, Wendy Lamm, with whom I went to Junior High School in Santa Monica, and who helped me film the initial interviews. She is an award-winning photojournalist and also advised me on the story as we progressed.
Has it been a smooth road?
No, the road was full of twists and turns, exciting and unexpected discoveries. At times, it was unclear which direction to take. The path climbed up in a zigzag, not in a straight line. As long as we were progressing, I felt like we were on the right path. We worked to bring the film together in the best possible way. My partner Warren landed on the idea that the transitions would tie the film together, and we worked closely together on this aspect. Co-directing can be challenging. I learned to take directions when recording narration and voice-over, and to give directions gently when we were editing. This learning process enabled us to finish the film and not give up.
Could you tell us more about your life and career?
An artist, educator, and filmmaker, I have been running an art gallery in Los Angeles for the last few years. I was born in Germany, grew up mainly in West LA and Santa Monica. My parents are from Los Angeles, and we also spent time in Europe and Israel. My grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Germany and Hungary. I learned to see things from a multicultural perspective, heard German and Hungarian while growing up, and learned Hebrew in Jewish Day School.
In college, I studied English, history, and art, then became a Waldorf teacher and taught in Waldorf, Jewish, and public schools. When I began researching Carl Laemmle's story, I discovered there was not much available about him, and that I needed to film interviews with living family members before it was too late. The pieces began to fall into place. The more I visited people, and took the time to dig in boxes and read faded letters, the more I learned. Along the way, I also began consulting with documentary filmmakers and sharing what I was learning.
What do you think goodness is?
I believe goodness is the power to listen to your heart and stand up for what you believe is right. Goodness is building bridges without judgment between people and cultures. Goodness spreads kindness and compassion, and allows people to express their hopes, dreams, and feelings.
Who are you outside of your professional life?
I enjoy hiking, yoga, reading, gardening, and playing with my cat. I am a fairly relaxed person; I like dancing and listening to music. I am also involved with the Jewish community in Los Angeles and meditate every day.
Are you interested in environmental issues?
I care about the environment very much. I have grown my own vegetables, though mostly the possums eat them. Did you know possums like kale? I try to reduce waste and recycle as much as possible. I am mindful of our responsibility to take care of the planet. I love looking at the stars at night, and try to help the planet stay beautiful by conserving energy and investing in green practices.
Do you think the world is not in a good place right now?
I think the world has always been full of good and bad. It seems overwhelming much of the time, but having a historical perspective helps me. If we say that our time is the hardest, then that negates the struggles of those who came before us, those who fought against slavery, those who joined the resistance to fight the Nazis, or parents who made a heart-wrenching decision to put their child on a train to England in the Kindertransport, knowing they would probably end up never seeing them again.
Our time seems overwhelming because we are living it, and the nature of the problems is very complex. Yet, we are made aware of everything via streams of media and live videos, which doesn't make it easier. I try to keep up with what is happening and also not be on my phone all the time. So many humans are working to do good. They are not featured as often on the news because it isn't as exciting. I always think of the line by the Indigo Girls, who I saw in concert this past summer, "we are gluttons for our doom." If I say the world is bad, then I lose hope, so I need to believe that I can make a difference. This motivates me to take a stand for what I believe in, just as Carl Laemmle did when he saw horrible things happening in Germany and acted to save lives.
Deborah F. Blum & Karen Schloss Heimberg
How do you make the world a better place?
I hold myself accountable and look at my part in events. What did I say or do? Could I have been more supportive or positive? And I try not to obsess overly much. I have gained insight about this from my yoga practice and Transcendental Meditation. We create our reality. When I visualize things going well, it helps. We all want peace, food, shelter, and love. Since my teenage passed away four years ago, I began volunteering with an organization called Jewish Queer International. They provide queer and non-binary teens and adults with community, empowerment, and mental health support. Giving back to the community helps me feel like I am doing something positive for the world.
How can we all make the world better?
We can all treat others with kindness and respect. It sounds so basic. But just listening and not judging based on the person's politics or wealth or whatever. Just looking in a person's eyes and saying: "How are you?" and being willing to listen if they have had a hard day. Believe me, if you do that, you will have a better day too.
How can science and spirituality coexist?
An interesting question: at one time, they did coexist and I believe with recent discoveries, we are returning to the understanding of what Rudolf Steiner calls Spiritual Science. There is so much we don't see that affects us and our lives. Energy is all around us, and as Cathy Heller says, everything is made up of energy.
If you could go anywhere, where would you go, and why?
If I could go anywhere right now, I would go to the island of Jamaica. I have never been there, and I have heard it is a beautiful, fun place. I also really like reggae music. And knowing myself, I would probably get involved in some volunteer efforts to help communities affected by the hurricane.
Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
Thank you for your thoughtful questions. This has been a fun and interesting interview.
Website and social media:
https://www.facebook.com/laemmleslist
https://www.instagram.com/laemmleslist/
Tickets for the screening coming up and media links:
https://solzyatthemovies.com/2025/01/10/laemmles-list-expands-on-carl-laemmles-legacy/
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