Laurent Rejtö, who spent more than two decades building the Hudson Valley into a thriving hub for film and television production, died on July 27 at his home in Woodstock, NY from pancreatic cancer. He was 63.

Laurent will be remembered for his creative spirit, generosity, and fierce passion for the people and places he cared about. He gave selflessly to friends, family, artists, and the Hudson Valley film community.

Born in France, Laurent immigrated to the U.S. as a child with his parents, Michèle and Thomas, and younger brother Stephen. He grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, where he forged lifelong friendships and began making short films and music. He later studied film at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where he met Meira Blaustein, his future wife.

After moving to the Hudson Valley, Laurent and Meira renovated an old farmhouse. When their first child, Julian, was born with profound brain injury, Laurent found solace and an outlet for his creativity in woodworking. He began crafting playful and artistic toys and furniture, first for Julian and his children Dan and Adi, and later for households across upstate New York and New York City. For Laurent, making things for others was an expression of love.

He co-founded the Woodstock Film Festival with Meira in 2000, but his lasting passion was the Hudson Valley Film Commission, which he launched and led for more than two decades. With tireless dedication, he did whatever was needed to turn the region into a thriving hub for film and TV production: scouting locations, assisting with permits, and rallying crew members, catering, actors, and others. He worked with everyone—from Oscar-winning directors to local students—to bring thousands of jobs and half a billion in spending to the region. He did it not for credit and certainly not for money, but because he believed in the work and, even more, in the people doing it. 

Laurent could also be blunt and demanding. He had little patience for anything he saw as lazy or self-serving. But that intensity came from his conviction. He held himself and others to high standards because he cared about cultivating the art, the creators, and the creative community into the best they could be. 

An inspired writer, Laurent published “The Reluctant Adventurer,” a translation and adaptation of his father’s memoir, and “Izor’s Journey,” an annotated translation of his great-grandfather’s World War I diary. Both reflected his deep connection to family history and his wry, perceptive voice. He wrote countless screenplays including “Persephone,” produced with his friends in 2012, and he loved to act in local films such as “After this Death,” drawn to the camaraderie, absurdity, and joy of being on set.

Laurent was a loving and devoted father to Julian, Dan, and Adi, modeling how to live with purpose. He found joy even in hard work, whether building a cabinet, an organization, or a new hub of the film community. And he still made time for personal activities that he loved: softball, swimming, and getting lunch with friends, among others. He taught that life isn’t just about balance; it’s also about giving your all.    

He is survived by his children, Dan and Adi; his granddaughter, Iyla Rose; his mother, Michèle; and his brother, Stephen. He spent his final months surrounded by family, love, and the community he helped create. 

The Hudson Valley Film Commission will carry on his work, and the Woodstock Film Festival will honor him with the new Laurent Rejtö Made in the Hudson Valley Award. But more than anything, his legacy lives on in his children, the filmmakers he mentored, the community he helped build, and the people he never stopped showing up for.