"Prisoner of her Past"

Prisoner of Her Past

Film by Howard ReichPowerPoint by Tyla Daniels

Howard Reich Wrote the book

“Prisoner of her Past” and was also its filmmaker

Oblivious to his mother's past for the majority of his life

Sonia Reich (mother of Howard Reich)

Jewish Holocaust survivor from Dubno, Poland

Suffers from a severe case of Late onset Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Lives in the past but is in denial of anything having to do with her past

Leon (lived with Sonia during the

Holocaust.

On the run during the Holocaust in Dubna, Poland.

Ran into Sonia when they were teenagers.

Accepted the horrors of the past and was willing to confront it. (occupied majority of the film)

What is the central message?

Accept your past and do not deny it Tell your story

Family will be able to know where they came from

Pass along the story to prevent it from happening again

Accepting vs. Denying

Accepting

Leon accepted his past and was able to confront it later on in his life.

Was better off mentally than Sonia.

Denying

-Sonia had trouble accepting and coped with her memories by denying them

-Denies everything having to do with the past

-PTSD

Filmmaker's Expected Response From the

Audience Family history can be a surprising thing.

Life changing effects of the Holocaust.

People can deal with the same issues but in different ways.

Do not feel sorry for people suffering from PTSD. They simply just need guidance and understanding.

Stay in the fight!

Sources Used in Film

Holocaust survivors who were willing to tell their story

Footage from Dubno, Poland

Reactions of Sonia Reich

Jazz music

What is the role of the individual in the modern world?

-Accept your past and learn from it

Help others with the wisdom gained from an experience

Is truth dependent upon race, culture and

time?

There is only one truth to genocide.

Questions Unanswered

Is Howard Reich upset about the atrocities that essentially ruined his mother's mental health?

Is it important for this story to be passed down to his children and his children's children?