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Streaming January 12-24, 2024 Digital Screening Room

Hungary-USA | 75 minutes | 2023

Monument

Southeast US Premiere

Filmmaker Michael Turner brings us on a deeply personal journey as he documents his first visit to a memorial dedicated to his family members who perished at Auschwitz during the Holocaust. The memorial was created by his grandmother, a Hungarian Jew, in memory of her beloved parents and sister, as a powerful reminder of the enduring and heartbreaking legacy of the Holocaust. Monument seamlessly weaves together an intimate family story with ongoing discussions examining memory preservation through monuments and memorials, as well as the dissemination of history in public spaces. As Michael and his camera travel from Budapest into the Hungarian countryside, retracing his grandmother's roots and the Jewish community's tenuous existence, they reveal a Jewish population living in a delicate balance between hiding and survival. Through visits to basement archives and makeshift synagogues, we’re introduced to Hungarians from diverse faiths and backgrounds who are dedicated to safeguarding this cultural memory. The result is a profoundly moving and poetic account of a familial bond and shared commitment to preserving their collective memory.

Accompanying the film premiere is a discussion with director Michael Turner. To view the conversation please click here.

Director's Bio

Directed by Michael Turner

Director Photo
Michael Turner is an independent filmmaker and the creator of the award-winning autobiographical documentary The Way We Talk, which has been screened around the world. He earned a BA in Film from California State University Long Beach and has worked with Collective Eye Films, the Oregon Jewish Museum, and Center for Holocaust Education, and many other impactful organizations. Monument is Michael’s second feature film.

Cast and Credits

Director

Michael Turner

Screenwriter

Michael Turner, Alfred Lee, Bill Roberts, Alyssa Burge

Cinematographer

Michael Turner

Editor

Michael Turner

Cast

Sandor Markus, Andras Csillag, Maria Heller, Michael Turner

Film Info

Year

2023

Country

Hungary-USA

Run-time

75 minutes

Language

English and Hungarian with English subtitles
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