Beautiful Tree, Severed Roots

Kenny Mann's mother's maiden name was SCHOENBAUM which means 'beautiful tree' in German. Being Jewish and socialist, she and her Polish husband were forced to flee Romania in 1940. Eventually, they settled in Kenya. This film raises issues about being a refugee, being displaced, losing your mother country, bringing your belief system to your host country, adapting, assimilating or not assimilating - all the issues that all displaced persons must confront. It is also an examination of her own identity as a white girl born in Africa; an Eastern European in a British colony; and a non-Jewish Jew. The resulst is a poetic collage of narration, moving images, voices, music and still shots,