User Reviews

Director Taryn Hough has crafted a fascinating look at a 60 year old program in the short "The Last Doll Lady." 91 year old Selma Bukstein is the last surviving member of B'nai B'rith's Dolls for Democracy program. This all-volunteer program used dolls modeled on famous Americans such as George Washington Carver and Helen Keller to educate students. Mrs. Bukstein has undertaken a last-ditch effort to revive the program.

Ms. Hough's 22 minute short illustrates many related issues, including the contemporary tendency of many to "accept" invitations to events that we have no plans to attend, and - at least obliquely - the focus on electronics over a live person giving a simple presentation. While the outcome of Mrs. Bukstein's efforts are never really in doubt, the students at the end of this excellent short offer a positive comment on how we often underestimate them.

I look forward to seeing more of Ms. Hough's work in the future.

Taryn Hough does an exceptional job capturing the pursuit of happiness. You get a front row seat to the joy, disappointment, excitement, and fulfillment that life has to offer. It is the job of the artist to capture the essence of their subject and evoke emotion from the viewer, and Taryn does not disappoint. This film is a testament to the evolution of technology and what we risk losing in this ever changing environment by unflinchingly pushing forward and never looking back.