Prisoner of Her Past
Encyclopedia
Prisoner of Her Past is a 2010 documentary film, produced by Kartemquin Films
, that follows the journey of Chicago Tribune
music critic Howard Reich as he travels to Europe to discover why his elderly mother, Sonia Reich, believes people are trying to kill her.
Inspired by conversations with young trauma survivors in post-Katrina New Orleans, Howard Reich begins to discover a secret that his mother, Sonia, had kept hidden for over 60 years. For most of her adult life, Sonia Reich was a well adjusted and self-sufficient woman, but now in her eighties, Sonia is suffering from late-onset Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
.
In order to understand his mother's past, Howard Reich travels to Eastern Europe to discover that Sonia spent her adolescence fleeing the Nazis during World War II. Meeting some of Sonia's distant relatives and childhood friends, Howard begins to unravel what his mother has always refused to speak about. Having lost most her family to the Holocaust, Sonia spent five years as a "jungle child", starving and constantly on the run. Now as Sonia tries to forget her past, Howard attempts to ease her pain and confront the horrors that haunter her.
Prisoner of Her Past was directed by Gordon Quinn
, a founder of Kartemquin Films
. The film was produced by Joanna Rudnick and Chicago Tribune journalist, Howard Reich. The film was a co-production of Kartemquin Films and the Chicago Tribune. Prisoner of Her Past was the February 2010 winner of the Accolade Competition's Best of Show Award.
Kartemquin Films
Kartemquin Films is a not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1966 by Gordon Quinn, Jerry Temaner and Stan Karter, three University of Chicago graduates who wanted to make documentary films guided by their principle of "Cinematic Social Inquiry." They were soon joined by Jerry Blumenthal...
, that follows the journey of Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
music critic Howard Reich as he travels to Europe to discover why his elderly mother, Sonia Reich, believes people are trying to kill her.
Inspired by conversations with young trauma survivors in post-Katrina New Orleans, Howard Reich begins to discover a secret that his mother, Sonia, had kept hidden for over 60 years. For most of her adult life, Sonia Reich was a well adjusted and self-sufficient woman, but now in her eighties, Sonia is suffering from late-onset Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Posttraumaticstress disorder is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to one's own or someone else's physical, sexual, or psychological integrity,...
.
In order to understand his mother's past, Howard Reich travels to Eastern Europe to discover that Sonia spent her adolescence fleeing the Nazis during World War II. Meeting some of Sonia's distant relatives and childhood friends, Howard begins to unravel what his mother has always refused to speak about. Having lost most her family to the Holocaust, Sonia spent five years as a "jungle child", starving and constantly on the run. Now as Sonia tries to forget her past, Howard attempts to ease her pain and confront the horrors that haunter her.
Prisoner of Her Past was directed by Gordon Quinn
Gordon Quinn
Gordon Quinn is Artistic Director and founding member of Kartemquin Films, a 2007 recipient of the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Gordon Quinn has been making documentaries for over 45 years and has produced or directed over 30 films. His recent directing credits...
, a founder of Kartemquin Films
Kartemquin Films
Kartemquin Films is a not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1966 by Gordon Quinn, Jerry Temaner and Stan Karter, three University of Chicago graduates who wanted to make documentary films guided by their principle of "Cinematic Social Inquiry." They were soon joined by Jerry Blumenthal...
. The film was produced by Joanna Rudnick and Chicago Tribune journalist, Howard Reich. The film was a co-production of Kartemquin Films and the Chicago Tribune. Prisoner of Her Past was the February 2010 winner of the Accolade Competition's Best of Show Award.