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Prisoner of Her Past

Prisoner of Her Past tells the haunting story of a secret childhood trauma resurfacing, sixty years later, to unravel the life of Holocaust survivor Sonia Reich. The film follows her son, Chicago Tribune jazz critic Howard Reich, as he journeys across the United States and Eastern Europe to uncover why his mother believes the world is conspiring to kill her.

Imagine surviving a war, earthquake, flood, or other disaster only to be stricken by nightmares, paranoia and a very real sense that it’s happening over and over. What would you do? Frightening events can leave lasting invisible scars on the psyches of survivors, particularly children. Sometimes the effects take years to fully manifest. Survivors are often faced with the sensation that they are reliving the events of years or decades before.

This devastating and little understood condition, known as Late Onset Post Traumatic Disorder, is at the heart of Prisoner of Her Past.

Prisoner of Her Past tells the haunting story of a secret childhood trauma resurfacing, sixty years later, to unravel the life of Holocaust survivor Sonia Reich. The film follows her son, Chicago Tribune jazz critic Howard Reich, as he journeys across the United States and Eastern Europe to uncover why his mother believes the world is conspiring to kill her. Along the way, he finds a family he never knew he had. Howard also finds psychiatrists in New Orleans helping traumatized children who survived Hurricane Katrina, so they will not re-experience their childhood terrors as his mother now does.

Filmmakers

Associate Producer

Zak Piper

Original Score

Jim Trompeter

Outreach Coordinator

Diane Moy Quon

Media

Awards and Distinctions

Big Water Film Festival

Winner

Best Short Film

2012

Accolade Global Film Competition

Winner

Best of Show (Documentary)

2010

Amnesty International Film Festival (Vancouver)

Official Selection

2010

Big Sky Documentary Film Festival

Official Selection

North American Premiere

2010

DocMiami International Film Festival

Official Selection

2010

DocUtah Film Festival

Official Selection

2010

Flyway Film Festival

Official Selection

2010

Kos International Health Film Festival (Greece)

Official Selection

2010

Rendezvous with Madness Film Festival

Official Selection

2010

St.Louis International Film Festival

Official Selection

2010

Talking Points Film Festival

Official Selection

2010