Treasure

Treasure follows Ruth, the daughter of two Polish/Jewish Holocaust survivors, who journeys to Poland in 1991 to see places important to her family's story. Ruth's father, Edek, only accompanies her because he doesn't believe a women should travel alone. The best, most poignant scenes are a visit to the Auschwitz concentration camp, where Edek and his late wife were imprisoned, and a scene where a family treasure is found.

The rest of the movie is tedious, with many father/daughter disputes, including a very awkward argument in front of three people they only met a few days before. The lack of tolerance between Ruth and Edek is painful to watch. Although Ruth wants to find her Polish roots, she seems disdainful of the Polish people and culture, even the food.

The movie is inaccurately billed as a comedy/drama. I didn't expect much comedy, and most attempts at humor fell flat. The few touching moments are overwhelmed by exaggerated father/daughter conflict.

In 'inspired by truth' father / daughter drama "Treasure" 36 yr old Jewish New Yorker Lena Dunham visits Poland (in 1991) with dad Stephen Fry (not good - largely due to his effected accent) to see where he grew up before WWII, when he & his business-owning family were displaced from their home to the Auschwitz death camp... a past he's always been reluctant to discuss with her. Director / co-writer (with John Quester) Julia von Heinz keeps her first English-language movie as light as possible, but obviously the subject matter is dark & sombre. It's a noble film, on a subject all should be educated on... but it sure isn't easy 'feel good' viewing.

The movie is very moving. It shows the different facets of the victim and repression and the urge to protect the children from it, but also the daughter's point of view, who wants to know and understand what her family had to go through. In addition, the relationship between two adults who have the role of child and father is palpable. Both characters only want the best for each other, even though they appear to be mutual. The story doesn't feel like a movie you're watching. You are emotionally taken along on the journey and can experience some of the poignant moments. Beautiful and sad at the same time, it shows the resilience of a person who has experienced tragedy and can still experience joyful moments at the same places.

Realistic portrayal of the way trauma carried on within families of Holocaust survivors. Just because the war ended didn't mean that all the wrongs were righted. This shows how those atrocities were resolved over time only by the people willing to acknowledge them and do the work, both victims and good Samaritans. And, likewise, there still existed people that kept the spoils of war and continued to profit from it.

Science only recently learned how trauma can literally be transferred through DNA (by causing stress responses to be expressed in offspring that would not otherwise have been). This is probably an evolutionary adaptation to increase the survival of offspring in a particularly stressful environment. Interestingly, this story might actually demonstrate that process at work. I believe the writers are referencing this phenomena when they show Ruth having nightmares about lice in her bed. Although the actual memory is not inherited, the stress response would have been, triggered by reading the history. Adding to the fact of also being raised by survivors who suffered from PTSD, it correctly characterizes her as an extended victim of the Holocaust.

There is some other stuff going on here, too, including messages on body positivity and grief over losing a loved one. I really like that they go on this physical journey as a representation of their inner transformation, because places, especially associated with ancestors and childhood are extremely powerful in shaping us. So, returning to them in order to reprocess memories and heal, is a believable scenario of change. It also seems that as a society, as we put wars behind us, we pretend as if those people and places no longer exist, never returning to them, or preserving them and refusing to change them. I think there's some commentary here about the unhealthiness of this, even if revisiting it can help people heal. Perhaps it can change once all the people heal & can move on. But, of course, there are legitimate reasons that we should maintain these memories as a society.

After the loss of her mother, Ruth decides to make a pilgrimage to Poland and learn about her parents' past. Her father, Edek, decides to join her and make it a daughter-father's trip. As Ruth and Edek travel through Poland, they learn and relive the Jewish people's history and experience how things are in the present. As they travel together, Edek and Ruth learn more about each other, share their burdens, and grow closer.

This film is based on the true story of the child of two Auschwitz death camp survivors and her journey to learn about her family. The story is approached delicately. While the subject is heavy, the story is told simultaneously in a manner that is both serious and lighthearted. The story develops slowly, making the audience feel the nearly two-hour runtime. This film has multiple themes the audience can focus on, and by the end, it is a very gratifying watch. This is a decent watch once it is available to stream.