The movie, An American Rhapsody, was sent to me to review because I was told it would be of interest to family historians, and although you won’t find any scenes of research in libraries or archives, I believe it does have relevance.

Based on the experiences of writer and director, Eva Gardos, it is the story of a family that is tragically separated as they try to escape Communist Russia in the 1950s, and of the daughter who is left behind to grow up with a foster couple in the Hungarian countryside, while her family settles in Los Angeles, California. Six years later, Suzanne is reunited with her family in America, but is torn between her home in Hungary and her new home in America. As she grows into a teen and adapts to her new life in America, she is still confused and plagued by questions about her past.

Suzanne eventually travels to Hungary and meets her grandmother and is reunited with the couple who raised her as a child and learns more about why her family left. By learning of her past, she is able to mend a troubled relationship with her mother, and develops an appreciation of her past and of the sacrifices that were made in order to give the family a new life in America.

I enjoyed the film (albeit through waves of tears and a box of tissues!) and it really made me think about how the lives of those in generations past, continue to affect who we are today. As someone with roots in Hungary, I was especially touched by the scenes from Budapest and the Hungarian countryside, and listening to the cast speaking in Hungarian. (There are sub-titles for the Hungarian-speaking parts of the movie.)

Just as Suzanne’s journey of self-discovery helped her reconcile herself with her past, our journeys into our family’s past can help us to better understand who we are today and how we got here.

The film is scheduled to debut 10 August in selected cities. For more information, see the Paramount Classics site at: www.paramountclassics.com/rhapsody/