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OFFICIAL SELECTION - Miami Independent Film Festival laurels.
Budapest at night with the parliament building lit up in a golden glow.

freedom love gold

About The Film

About The Film

Freedom Love Gold is an award-winning documentary film that brings to life the amazing true story of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick E. Tarnay and their three young children, who, with much bravery and sacrifice, helped to save their homeland from destruction. In the last days of WWII, Hungary’s treasury (32 tons of gold and national treasures, including the Crown of St. Stephen), along with 500 of the bank's family members, were spared due to the extraordinary selflessness and courage of the Tarnay family.

 

Wrongly accused of betraying their country and threatened with execution, the Tarnays persisted in organizing and carrying out the relocation of the Hungarian National Bank and its personnel across the Austrian border.

 

The three young sons are still alive to tell the amazing tale and travel back to Hungary and Austria to retrace the train route.

 

The film tells the incredible true story of the Tarnays, who survived their daring three-month, 350-mile journey on the “gold train” from Budapest, Hungary to Spital am Phryn, Austria before immigrating to the United States.

About The Director

About The Director

Christina Hodel is an American/French Polynesian filmmaker, screenwriter, film & television scholar, and educator. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at Bridgewater State University where she teaches courses in both filmmaking and film studies. She works in both Boston, MA and Los Angeles, CA.

Christina holds a Ph.D. in Film and Media Studies from the University of Kansas, an M.A. in Individualized Study (Film/Dance) from New York University, and a B.A. in Film and Electronic Arts from California State University, Long Beach.

As a practicing artist, Christina has written, directed, produced, and edited various industrials, public service announcements, commercials, event trailers, video installations, narrative films, and documentaries.

Her films have received funding, won awards, and screened at festivals including Tallgrass International Film Festival, Bare Bones International Film and Music Festival, and Lady's First International Film Festival. She has worked for Food Network, HBO, CBS, ABC, NBC, Freeform, Showtime, The CW, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures, and YouTube Premium.


 

Headshot of Christina Hodel, a filmmaker and screenwriter.

Press

Matt Tarnay
Steve Tarnay
Fred Tarnay

Bridgewater State University Magazine

"Heroic Adventure"

by John Winters

June 1, 2020

The University Daily Kansan

"KU Grad's Latest Documentary Tells Story of Love and Female Heroism"

by Lacy Gregory

September 27, 2018

Press

Find A Screening

 

Contact the filmmaker if

you would like to bring Freedom Love Gold to your community or classroom. Your event may be paired with guest speakers and filmmaking workshops.

 

Steve Tarnay Framed at Fisherman's Bastion
Crown of St. Stephen
Fred Tarnay in Monitor
Find A Screening
Festival laurels for Christina Hodel's film Freedom Love Gold.
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