The Story
When Australian filmmaker Sophia Turkiewicz was seven years old, her Polish mother, Helen, abandoned her in an Adelaide orphanage. Sophia never forgot this maternal act of betrayal. Now in middle age, as Sophia examines her troubled relationship with Helen, she discovers the story behind Helen’s miraculous wartime escape from a Siberian gulag, her subsequent survival against the odds and the truth about an historic betrayal involving Stalin and the Allies.
With Helen sliding into dementia, Sophia must confront her own demons. Did she ever truly know this woman who became her mother? Does she have it in her heart to forgive her? And is it too late?
*** Winner of 10 International and 8 Australian awards
MORE ABOUT ONCE MY MOTHER
ONCE MY MOTHER
Once My Mother is a multi award winning feature documentary and Study Guide for educators. A troubled mother and daughter relationship played out over a lifetime reveals an epic journey from a Siberian gulag to safety in Australia and a story of survival, conflict and forgiveness. Director Sophia Turkiewicz. Producer Rod Freedman. Associate Producer Australia – Bob Connolly. Associate Producers Poland – Janusz &Kamil Skalkowski. Editor Denise Haslem. Composer Cezary Skubiszewski.
INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
AUDIENCE AWARD, Krakow Film Festival, Poland
TIME OF HISTORY AWARD, Valladolid International Film Festival, Spain
PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING HUMAN VALUES, 26th Polish Film Festival in America, Chicago
BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM, Ann Arbor Polish Film Festival, USA
BEST DOCUMENTARY, Tiburon International Film Festival, USA
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE, St Louis International Film Festival, USA
SPECIAL AWARD, Prowincjonalia Film Festival, Poland
SPECIAL AWARD Niepokorni, Niezlomni, Wiekleci Film Festival Gdynia, Poland
AWARD, International Historical & Military Film Festival, Warsaw
SPECIAL PRIZE, Cinema With A Soul, Warsaw
AUSTRALIAN AWARDS
BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY, Australian Directors Guild Awards
AUDIENCE AWARD BEST DOCUMENTARY, Adelaide Film Festival
AUDIENCE AWARD BEST FILM, Canberra International Film Festival
BEST TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY UNAA Media Peace Awards
BEST MUSIC IN DOCUMENTARY, CEZARY SKUBISZEWSKI, Australian Screen Music Awards
BEST EDITING FEATURE DOCUMENTARY, DENISE HASLEM, Australian Screen Editors Awards
BEST DOCUMENTARY BIOGRAPHY, ATOM Awards
BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY Nomination, AACTA Awards
BEST SOUND Nomination, AACTA Awards
FINALIST, Sydney Film Festival Documentary Competition
FINALIST, Walkley Foundation Awards
SHORTLISTED, SCRIPTWRITING & MULTICULTURAL CATEGORIES, NSW Premier’s Literary Awards
FILM FESTIVALS Australia
Adelaide, Canberra, Sydney, Launceston & Caloundra Film Festivals
FILM FESTIVALS International
FIPA, Biarritz, France
Valladolid International Film Festival, Spain
Krakow Film Festival, Poland
‘Niepokorni, Niezlomni, Wiekleci’ Film Festival, Gdynia, Poland
Prowincjonalia Film Festival, Poland
‘Generations Remember’ Kresy Siberia Conference, Warsaw
Cinema With A Soul Festival, Warsaw
Edmonton International Film Festival, Canada
Festival Internacional de Televisao de Sao Paulo, Brazil
16th Rencontres Internationales du Cinéma des Antipodes, St Tropez France
Festival Regards d’Ailleurs, Dreux, France
Rhode Island International Film Festival USA
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival USA
Kansas International Film Festival USA
Polish Film Festival in America, Chicago USA
Seattle Polish Film Festival USA
Ann Arbor Polish Film Festival USA
Los Angeles Polish Film Festival USA
Womens History Month Film Festival USA
Tiburon International Film Festival USA
Vilnius International Film Festival, Lithuania
Moscow International Documentary Film Festival, Russia
Biografilm Festival, Bologna Italy
Down Under Berlin Film Festival, Germany
Batumi International Art House Film Festival, Georgia
International Historical & Military Film Festival, Warsaw
International Festival of World Cinema, Milan
St Louis International Film Festival, USA
PolArt Film Festival, Melbourne
Mumbai International Film Festival, India
DOCfeed, Netherlands
iDocs International Film Festival, Beijing
ABOUT CHANGE FOCUS MEDIA
ROD FREEDMAN & LESLEY SEEBOLD
Change Focus Media was established in Balmain, Sydney in 1997 by partners Lesley Seebold and Rod Freedman. We produce documentaries, corporate, educational and promotional videos. Our clients come from the spectrum of government, corporate, community and private sectors.
Our corporate productions are designed to engage their audiences and satisfy our clients.
Our documentaries have won international awards and screened in film festivals all over the world.
Whether for distribution on DVD, TV, website or streaming, Change Focus Media will help you create a
strong and engaging video communication. Contact us to discuss your next project.
CHANGE FOCUS CLIENTS
Adult Migrant English Service
Adult Migrant English Program, Macquarie University
Alzheimers Australia
Australian Early Childhood Association
Australian Liquor & Hospitality Group
Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health
Australian Dental Association
Benevolent Society Post Adoption Resource Centre
Beyond International
Career Channel
Department of Health and Ageing
Department of Veterans Affairs
Disability Services
EndoActive Australia & NZ
Family Advocacy
Film Australia
Fujitsu Australia
Health Support Services
Health Workforce Australia
Huhtamaki Worldwide Packaging
Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University
Jewish Communal Appeal
Lady Gowrie Child Centre
Mia Mia Child & Family Study Centre
Maritime Union of Australia
Moriah College
Museum of Australian Democracy, Old Parliament House
Macquarie University National Centre for English Language Teaching & Research
Macquarie University School of Business and Finance
NSW Adult Migrant English Service
NSW Attorney General’s Department
Rural Health Education Foundation
SBS Television
Sydney Jewish Museum
Sydney University Physics Foundation
University of NSW School of Public & Community Medicine
University of NSW Office of Business & Technology
University of Technology, Sydney School of Mathematical Sciences
Voiceless – The Fund For Animals
Westlake Family Support Service
2010 Association – Gay and Lesbian Youth
CONTACT US
Change Focus Media produces documentaries, corporate, educational and promotional videos. Whether for distribution on DVD, television, website or streaming, Change Focus Media will help you create a strong and engaging video communication.
CONTACT US TO DISCUSS YOUR NEXT PROJECT
PO Box 240 Balmain New South Wales 2041 AUSTRALIA