When the idea to bring in the documentary film, Welcome to Kutsher's: The Last Catskills Resort, was presented to Lifelong Learning I had to do a little research as my knowledge of Catskill resorts was limited. I was familiar with the Dirty Dancing-era Catskills experience, but I was unaware of how it changed American pop culture in the comedy, sports and vacation industries. This documentary captures a last glimpse of a lost world as it vanishes before our eyes.
The Kutsher's Country Club is the last surviving Jewish resort in the Catskills. One of the legendary Borscht Belt hotels during its heyday, Kutsher's has been family-owned and operated for over 100 years. In 1907, Max Kutsher founded Kutsher's Country Club, the Catskills resort that (as legend has it) inspired the film “Dirty Dancing,” employed Wilt Chamberlin as a bellhop before he played for the NBA and launched the careers of stand-up comedians like Billy Crystal and Jerry Seinfeld.
Award-winning filmmakers Caroline and Ian Rosenberg illustrate how Kutsher's thrived at the center of all this growth and excitement. This film premiered at The New York Jewish Film Festival at Lincoln Center and won the Best Documentary Audience Award at the Miami Jewish Film Festival in 2012. Lifelong Learning is excited to bring this award winning film to the FAU community during the 2013 winter semester. The filmmakers will introduce the film before the screening and afterwards answer questions about their experience making the documentary over the last five years.
This film shows how the Catskills left an indelible mark on popular culture — from comedy to sports to everything we take for granted as standard fare on a family vacation.
To register and learn more about this one-time screening at FAU's Lifelong Learning Society in Jupiter, visit www.llsjupiter.com.
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