freedom love gold
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.
Freedom Love Gold is based on a book by the same name. The book is available here.
The train that journeyed from Hungary to Austria in the dead of winter held 32 tons of gold bars, 500 women and children, and all of the country's national treasures.
Budapest, Hungary
The train that journeyed from Hungary to Austria in the dead of winter held 32 tons of gold bars, 500 women and children, and all of the country's national treasures.
Steve Tarnay visits a church in Austria where Hungary's national treasure was hidden for safe keeping during WWII.
Budapest, Hungary
Steve Tarnay visits a church in Austria where Hungary's national treasure was hidden for safe keeping during WWII.
Gold and other national treasures from Hungary were hidden in a Catholic church's crypt in the Austrian countryside for safekeeping during WWII.
Steve Tarnay, whose parents helped saved the Hungarian National Treasury, lights a candle at St. Matthias church in Budapest, Hungary--the very church he was baptized in as a child prior to WWII.
Gold and other national treasures from Hungary were hidden in a Catholic church's crypt in the Austrian countryside for safekeeping during WWII.
About The Director
Christina Hodel is an American/French Polynesian filmmaker, screenwriter, film & television scholar, and educator. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies 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.
Find A Screening
Freedom Love Gold is screening at Bridgewater State University at 2:00 PM in the RSU Ballroom on March 21, 2023. Pizza lunch and Q&A with the filmmaker will be provided.
you would like to bring Freedom Love Gold to your community or classroom. Your event may be paired with guest speakers and filmmaking workshops.
