The Long Way Home

Winner of the 1997 Academy Award® for Best Feature Documentary

Narrated by Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman

“Staggeringly powerful.” – The New York Times

Featuring the voices of Edward Asner, Sean Astin, Martin Landau, David Paymer, and Nina Siemasko, the film combines rare archival films and stills with new interviews, and interweaves historical narrative with stories, anecdotes, and recollections of Jewish refugees.

The film opens in 1945. Germany has been defeated by the Allies and the war in Europe is officially over. American, British, and Russian soldiers have liberated Nazi death camps in Central and Eastern Europe, uncovering to the world the horror and tragedy of the Holocaust. Thousands of starving, half-dead Jewish survivors are freed from Nazi persecution. The majority have lost most, if not all of their families members. Those who try to return home are met with antisemitism and threats of physical violence.

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American and British authorities set up "Displaced Persons Camps" to house the refugees, often on the same sites as former concentration and death camps. With thousands of Jewish refugees still languishing in DP camps, Jewish resistance groups in Palestine unite to form a resistance movement to oppose the British. The film takes an in-depth look at how most of the world was either indifferent or unwilling to deal with the plight of the Jewish refugees, but at the same time acknowledges the efforts of those who did support the survivors in their attempt to make new lives for themselves.

After its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, The Long Way Home was screened theatrically throughout the United States and was acquired for broadcast by the Showtime Cable Networks. The film has been the recipient of numerous awards at international film festivals.

CREDITS
Running time 1 hr, 54 min.

Narrated by
Morgan Freeman

Featuring the Voices of:
Edward Asner, Sean Astin,
Martin Landau, Miriam Margolyes,
David Paymer, Nina Siemaszko,
Helen Slater, Michael York

Cinematography
Don Lenzer

Sound Design
Mark Friedman

Edited by
Kate Amend

Original music score composed and conducted by
Lee Holdridge

Produced by
Richard Trank and Rabbi Marvin Hier

Writer/Director
Mark Jonathan Harris

AWARDS
1997 Academy Award™
Best Feature Documentary

Selection, Documentary Section
Sundance Film Festival, 1997

Golden Hugo Award
Chicago International Film Festival, 1997

Best Documentary
Worldfest Houston, 1997