About
- About Six Million for Six Million
Production company, launch flix, is partnering with Congregation Eitz Chaim of Phoenix, Arizona to offer a 501(c)(3) non profit, education fund called Six Million for Six Million, (6Mfor6M) for the An Unbroken Chain film project that will provide tax deductions to donors.
Our original concept was that if we could collect a dollar a person, we could educate, raise awareness and money for our film project at the same time. Our initial film budget was estimated at six million dollars, the amount of Jewish victims in the Holocaust.
Anyone who has donated before January, 2012 will receive a credit in the film.
You can still donate here. Click on the blue button the right that says “Donate Now.” Then choose “Bashert: A Short Film by Stephanie Houser” in the drop down menu for the “Designation” option half way down the page.
Message from the Filmmaker
I first read Henry Oertelt’s book, An Unbroken Chain: My Journey Through the Nazi Holocaust in April, 2008. It changed my life. I had never learned about the Holocaust formally in school and it occurred to me that neither did millions of other kids in the U.S. Henry had a non-violent, informative, engaging story – one that I thought would make a terrific film, and teaching tool. I started to look for others who would agree and found an experienced production company that was willing to help produce the film. They estimated the film would cost $4,000,000.00 to produce and another $2,000,000.00 to market. Then they said they would be able to raise $2,000,000.00 if I could match or raise the remainder.
I asked my synagogue to support my efforts by providing me with a 501(c)(3) education fund, so that I could find investors or simply, donors who wanted a tax deduction. I attended conferences around the country and traveled to D.C., NY, and CA but I couldn’t raise the funds. It wasn’t a great time to solicit money for an established charity or an unknown entity, and we understood that. Meanwhile, we were micro-fundraising with friends and family, and their networks, online and raised enough funds for me to produce marketing materials like business cards, post cards about the film, purchase two cases of Henry’s book, and attend more conferences in order to find prospective investors. Ultimately, I decided the only way to get this project going was to move to LA, so we did.
Today, I am regularly networking in the film community in Hollywood, volunteering as a docent for the LA Museum of the Holocaust and staying committed to this project until I find the right individuals who believe as strongly as I do, that my generation has no choice but to continue sharing these stories with the next generation. It’s our responsibility, and my honor and privilege to share Henry’s story with the world to do my part in teaching acceptance and hope. Thanks for your support – whether you are interested in spreading the word through an email or social media (you’ll see links on the right margin) donating, acting, working on the crew, or later, going out to see the film in the theater or arranging a screening in your community. You, are a link, in our Unbroken Chain.
Henry was a dear friend of mine. I met Henry in 2001 when he agreed to talk to my choir students about his book. My school bought a copy of his book for all 160 of my choir students. He fell in love with my students and we did various projects together from 2001-2006. My daughter, who grew up knowing Henry and Inge, was so moved by Henry’s story that she had Henry’s words “If you must hate, hate hate” tattooed down her spine in Hebrew. Henry saw the pictures and couldn’t believe that she had done this. I know he put the pictures I sent him on his site and shared how moved he was by the gesture. Tevia, my daughter, shares this story with many people and says how not hating is the backbone of her life and that Henry and his book had everything to do with that. He was a part of our life and he played a huge part in the upbringing of my two daughters. He even wrote my girls letters telling them what was most important in life and how to forgive and move on when times get tough. Thanks for giving me a space to share these memories. I pray that all the money will be raised for this project.