Marion's Triumph

Synopsis

In 1938 the Blumenthals began their journey to America as refugees from Nazi Germany. Just before departing from Rotterdam, the Germans invaded Holland and bombed their ship. And so began more than six years of horror in Hitler's camps, and an incredible story of near escapes, dashed hopes and tragedy. At liberation, Marion Blumenthal was ten and weighed 35 pounds. Today she bears witness as the last generation of living Holocaust survivors. Her memoir, FOUR PERFECT PEBBLES, is in its 11th printing and taught in schools worldwide. MARION'S TRIUMPH is a unique Holocaust documentary that speaks to a young generation. Illustrated with rare footage, photos and animated flashbacks, it features surviving Blumenthals and narration from Debra Messing (star of WILL AND GRACE).

Director

John Chua

A self-taught filmmaker, John Chua has previously completed one other documentary; WHATEVER! IT'S A WONDERFUL SORORITY LIFE was independently produced and acquired by NAATA for national broadcast on PBS in 1999. An ironic look at sorority life, the documentary traces the journey of a black student attempting to join an exclusive white sorority system at the University of Illinois. The film was well received and was an unsolicited choice by the Museum of TV and Radio (LA and NY) for inclusion in their permanent collection of important PBS films and is available for viewing by any visitor.

John Chua received his Ph.D. in comparative literature from the University of Illinois in 2004 and just completed a Fulbright Scholarship in Moscow, Russia.

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