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Uploaded byDavid Genovese
Prisoner of her past
The documentary Prisoner of Her Past follows Howard Reich's quest to learn about his mother Sonia Reich's mysterious past in Ukraine during World War II. Recently diagnosed with late onset PTSD, Sonia can no longer differentiate past from present. Howard travels around Europe and the United States interviewing relatives to piece together his mother's experiences fleeing from Nazis as a child. The film examines how traumatic events can trigger PTSD later in life and the impact of living with the disorder.
Prisoner of her past
- 2. Prisoner ofHer Past follows Howard Reich’s quest to find out the mystery of Sonia Reich’s, his mother, past.
- 3. Recently diagnosedwith late onset post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Sonia Reich is reliving the past that has haunted her since her childhood in the Ukraine (It was Poland during WWII.) during World War II.
- 4. She cannotdetermine the difference between the past and the present anymore.
- 5. During HowardReich’s quest for information, he visits many relatives around the United States and Europe.
- 6. He travelsaround Europe visiting the places where his mother grew up running from the Nazis.
- 7. How harmfulPTSD can be?
- 8. How wouldhave treatment effected the late onset PTSD?
- 9. How PTSDaffects males differently than females?
- 10. Howard Reichwanted the viewer to be aware to the problems assoicated with PTSD. He wanted the viewers to feel what he felt, when he first went on his journey to find his mother’s past .
- 11. The filmuses first hand sources well to help understand the central message of the film.
- 12. The footageof his mother explained a lot about the central message, PTSD. Katrina survivors makes the viewer feel that PTSD can occur in any major event.
- 13. The useof jazz in the movie helps bring in a personal connection with Howard Reich, a jazz enthusiast.
- 14. The filmused many people and places to convey the message of the film. People: Leon Slominski, Dr. David Rosenberg, Irene Tannen, Olga Chernobaj, Reich Family Places: Ozirko, Dubno, Warsaw
- 15. He livedwith Sonia when both of them were children in Dubno, Ukraine (Poland) He led Howard Reich around Europe exploring his past, while also finding trying to find Sonia’s past.
- 16. He diagnosedSonia Reich’s PTSD. He gave insight into how PTSD effects people.
- 17. She adoptedSonia after the war.
- 18. Led HowardReich and Leon Slominski through Shibennaya Hill in Dubno, Ukraine, where the mass murder of Jewish people occurred.
- 19. Howard interviewedeverybody in his family to try to bring out what knowledge they had about Sonia’s past.
- 20. The farmwhere Leon Slominski escaped to during the war.
- 21. The locationwhere Sonia Reich and Leon Slominski were born. Both of them escaped when the Nazis began sending the Jewish people to the ghettos.
- 22. This isthe city where Leon Slominski currently lives.
- 23. Flashbacks Memoryproblems Trouble concentrating Overwhelming guilt or shame Hearing or seeing things that aren't there
- 24. One ineight soldiers from the War on Terror come back with PTSD. Only 38% of soldiers with PTSD wanted help. Only 23% reported seeing a physiologist for help.
- 25. Nightmares Anger Loss of emotion Loss of time
- 26. The choicesof the Nazis caused many people troubles that will last there whole life. No memorials or museums to the holocaust would be necessary if the Germans had not exterminated millions of people.
- 27. Yes, HowardReich and Leon experience this through their journey through Europe. While in Dubno, Ukraine a memorial stands there now along with a museum.
- 28. What effectdid going to physiatrist have on Sonia Reich? Is there any treat once a person is diagnosed with late onset PTSD?