As Auntie Mame once said “Life’s a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!” Silver Connections’ member Charles Robert Erler, known to most as Bob, is a far cry from starvation. Bob is getting as much out of life as time allows. He recently saw himself profiled on the big screen during the world premiere of Life Is A Banquet, a short film debuted at Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville.

Bob participated in Unscripted, the Film Center’s documentary production program. Through this intergenerational experience, students from Horace Greeley High School, Ossining High School and Pleasantville High School spent this past Summer learning about the craft of documentary and visual storytelling and creating their own film about a senior citizen living in their community.

Silver Connections member Bob Erler
with his partner of over 50 years, Burt,
attend the Unscripted premiere.

This year’s match-up of students and seniors featured a special pairing between Bob and a young woman from CenterLane, Westchester County’s LGBT youth organization.
In a collaborative effort between Silver Connections, the Jacob Burns Education Staff and CenterLane, Unscripted connected members of the LGBT community from both ends of the life experience spectrum.

The student filmmakers compiled hours upon hours of interview footage with Bob and three other local, senior subjects. They then had to edit it all down to four 8 - 10 minute films. The packed audience at the premiere, including a large cheering section from The LOFT, would tell you that the best moments avoided the cutting room floor.

Silver Connections is The LOFT’s outreach program for LGBT individuals 55 years and older. Program Directors can be reached at 914-948-7173 x12 or x13.