"Mina & the Family Treasure" Airs on PBS
"Mina & the Family Treasure," a feature-length documentary directed and edited by Telling Story President Andrew Filippone Jr., had its PBS broadcast premiere on Friday, May 5th. After its first screening on KCET, the Los Angeles PBS affiliate, the film aired on public television stations across the country.
"Mina & the Family Treasure" tells the story of 58-year old Sue Breecker. When asked the secret of her 99-year old mother's long life, Sue says, "I don't know, but I'd love to get it."
Sue is in the fight of her life. After 15 years of remission, her breast cancer has returned in such an unusual and aggressive manner that her doctor comments, "In 13 years, I've never seen someone with a mass this big from recurrent breast cancer." Together they decide to put off radical surgery in favor of a new, experimental radiation technique that may shrink the tumor.
Will it work? Sue and her family won't know for eight weeks. Her husband, Harold, calls the waiting the worst part and admits feeling "helpless, because there's nothing you can do." Sue's daughter, Marnie, says she's petrified that the radiation won't work, and her son, Alan, confides that all he has is hope.
Amidst the fear sits Mina, Sue's 99-year old mother. Born into a wealthy and well-respected Jewish family in the Ukrainian village of Nogaisk, Mina was the oldest of six children. Their large, 14-room home was on Sabornaya Street, within sight of the Sea of Azov. One night in 1918, the family received word that a group of Cossacks was approaching the village. They had with them a list of Nogaisk's 22 Jewish families - Mina's family among them. The Cossacks were coming to launch a pogrom.
In an instant Mina's father gathered his family together. They disguised themselves as peasants and hid under a load of potatoes on a neighbor's cart, riding out under the cover of darkness. As they passed through the cemetery on the village's edge, they could hear the screams of their Jewish neighbors. They would never return to this place or see their home again.
Sue heard these stories as a child, and now, caught in her own fight for life, finds herself drawn to them in a new and deeper way. So, with the results of her radiation treatment in hand, Sue travels halfway around the world to the village of Nogaisk to find the home Mina left behind. For Sue, finding the house that Mina abandoned would be to find the place where her mother once escaped with her life. Perhaps some clue - some "treasure" - remains there that could help Sue in her own battle with her disease.
"Mina & the Family Treasure" was executive produced by Rosie O'Donnell.
"Mina & the Family Treasure" tells the story of 58-year old Sue Breecker. When asked the secret of her 99-year old mother's long life, Sue says, "I don't know, but I'd love to get it."
Sue is in the fight of her life. After 15 years of remission, her breast cancer has returned in such an unusual and aggressive manner that her doctor comments, "In 13 years, I've never seen someone with a mass this big from recurrent breast cancer." Together they decide to put off radical surgery in favor of a new, experimental radiation technique that may shrink the tumor.
Will it work? Sue and her family won't know for eight weeks. Her husband, Harold, calls the waiting the worst part and admits feeling "helpless, because there's nothing you can do." Sue's daughter, Marnie, says she's petrified that the radiation won't work, and her son, Alan, confides that all he has is hope.
Amidst the fear sits Mina, Sue's 99-year old mother. Born into a wealthy and well-respected Jewish family in the Ukrainian village of Nogaisk, Mina was the oldest of six children. Their large, 14-room home was on Sabornaya Street, within sight of the Sea of Azov. One night in 1918, the family received word that a group of Cossacks was approaching the village. They had with them a list of Nogaisk's 22 Jewish families - Mina's family among them. The Cossacks were coming to launch a pogrom.
In an instant Mina's father gathered his family together. They disguised themselves as peasants and hid under a load of potatoes on a neighbor's cart, riding out under the cover of darkness. As they passed through the cemetery on the village's edge, they could hear the screams of their Jewish neighbors. They would never return to this place or see their home again.
Sue heard these stories as a child, and now, caught in her own fight for life, finds herself drawn to them in a new and deeper way. So, with the results of her radiation treatment in hand, Sue travels halfway around the world to the village of Nogaisk to find the home Mina left behind. For Sue, finding the house that Mina abandoned would be to find the place where her mother once escaped with her life. Perhaps some clue - some "treasure" - remains there that could help Sue in her own battle with her disease.
"Mina & the Family Treasure" was executive produced by Rosie O'Donnell.
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