"I don’t believe in miracles; I rely on them!"
Yogi Bhajan

This progress report is to update you on the latest successes of and developments on Torn from the Flag, the 95-minute documentary film about the fall of communism and the significant global effects of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight.

The screenings at the Atlanta-, Minneapolis-St. Paul-, RiverRun- and Indianapolis international film festivals all went very well, and most had sold-out houses. In addition to previous recognitions, the film won the Best of the Fest Award at Minneapolis and the Audience Award for Best Documentary – 3^rd Place at Indianapolis.

Chuck Wilson, widely respected film critic, called Torn from the Flag one of the Best Undistributed Films at the AFI Fest.

For a great article on the awards won to date, please see the write-up in Screen Magazine.

We are very sad that noted cinematographer and wonderful human being Joseph S. Miko passed away in April at the age of 87. Miko is one of the most-credited figures in recording the Hungarian revolution and was instrumental in revealing it to the rest of the world. He fought with the Hungarian National Archive so they would give us his footage at no charge; this was essential to the project both artistically and financially. He will be missed, but will continue to be appreciated, and his legacy will live on. Our sincerest condolences to his wife, Victoria, his son, Joseph, Jr., and the rest of his family.

This fall, we would like to bring the film to those Canadian and U.S. cities/communities that are interested in organizing a screening of Torn from the Flag for themselves to support the film’s Oscar race. Available dates are:

September: 5, 6, 7; 12, 13, 14; 19, 20, 21; 26, 27, 28

October: 3, 4, 5; 10, 11, 12; 17, 18, 19; 24, 25, 26; 31

November: 2; 7, 8, 9; 14, 15, 16; 21, 22, 23; 28, 28, 30

December: 12, 13, 14

Previous screenings in Atlanta, GA and Seymour, CT for the same purpose were both well-attended. The New Haven Register published a front-page article about George Mismas, one of the stars of the film.

Carmike Cinemas signed on as a supporter of the fall screenings by offering to provide free screening rooms for the communities organizing the Torn from the Flag events. Carmike is the 4^th largest chain of movie theaters in the U.S., having 262 theaters (2339 screens) in 36 states.

Thank you to Bob Fisher for his major article complimenting the film in American Cinematographer, an important Hollywood magazine.

We would also like to thank the following this quarter: George & Janice Mismas for hosting-, and Lori Slowik, Ned Rydzy and Kris Scheyd for organizing, the Connecticut screening. Attila Karolyi for office help and heavy lifting; Janos Szablya for his extensive fundraising efforts; Kati Burke for the same. In Atlanta: John Parkerson, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Hungary, for being the Master of Ceremonies; Andrea Lauer Rice for organizing and her tremendously motivational speech; Zsolt Nemedi for tirelessly and enthusiastically organizing and providing lodging, transportation and postage; Kevin R. McGee of Horn of Plenty Catering for providing food; Imre Szafrics for providing wine; Anne Lynch and Anna Borzsak for volunteering and Dori Pap and Dr. Terry Blum for providing the screening room.

We tremendously appreciate the supporters who responded to the big dream of creating international acclaim for and awareness of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, a very important but internationally very under-publicized event. We thank them for understanding how an Oscar or a nomination for a serious film like this would serve this goal and the community of people around the world who stand firmly for liberty and the right to self-rule in a way that does not lessen the same for other nations. We thank them for also understanding what such recognition would do for the cohesion and empowerment of all Hungarians, especially those who were forced by historic events to live outside their homeland. These donors, since the last newsletter, were:

Lauren Adams & Anthony Bonno; Agnes Huff Communications Group, LLC; Geyza & Bonnie Alpine (several donations); Andrea Horvath Alstrup (several donations); Anonymous; Anonymous; Louis Babos; Laszlo & Maria Bakonyvari; Maria G. Bales; Karoly & Judith Balogh (several donations) George & Diane A. Benko; Austin W. & Katalin A. Bentley; Istvan Benko; Istvan S. & Ida B. Benko; Csaba Beres; Laszlo S. & Linda Beres (several donations); Carolynn M. Bergamaschi on behalf of Zsuzsa Katona; Diane G. Berritto; Thomas E. & Ildiko Berty (3^rd donation); Steven Bognar; Bollyky Assoc. Inc.; Jonathan N. & Joan D. Brown; Kati Burke (2^nd donation); The Charles & Catherine B. Rice Foundation; Joel H. Cowan; Mark Cronan & Melody Mooney; Dr. Sigmund M. & Gabrielle Csicsery (several donations) Emoke Csipke; Nicholas & Deborah Csorba; Zoltan Csukonyi; M. Patricia Dalton; Rozalia Darabont & Zsombor Mayer - European Construction, Inc.; Patricia M. and J. Robin de Andrade, M.D.; Tressa Quynh de Andrade & Mark A. de Andrade; Paul DeCleva; Kinga Varga Dobai; Gyula & Amber Egervari; Julianna & Gyula Egervari; Joseph T. Ertavy; Erika Faber; Edit M. and Charles R. Farkas; Maria Farkas; Miklos Farkas; Miklos R. Farkas; Iren Feher; Andrea O. Fekete; Paul & Eva Fekete (4^th donation); Richard M. Filipink, Jr. & Michelle J. Filipink; Robert O. Fisch, M.D.; Chester & Jeannette Fudge; John F. & Ildiko B. Gajda; Rezsoe Gracza; Kristen T. Greene; Paul Greskovics (2^nd donation); Miklos X. Gyenes; Laszlo & Emese Kerkay; Violet Frajko & Ana Kovacs; Lee J. Harrell & Andrea Hagymasi; Leslie G. Hammer; Andre Hegyesi; Gabriel U. & Maria G. Hill; Erno Horvath; Quincy & Esther C. Howe; Hungarian Association (several donations); Joseph & Nancy Iacuone; Ferenc & Ilona Ipkovich; Andrew & Magda Ivanyi; K. Jambor; J.M.K. Tool Co.; Zoltan & Eliz Kakas; Barbara A. Kapi; Joseph & Linda Kata; Stanley S. & Sylvia F. Katz; Elek Kesmarki; Frank L. & Betsy L. Kovacs; George Kovacs; George & Annemarie Kovacs; Ilona & Janos Kovacs; Maria M. & Tiberiu Kovacs; Vilmos & Katalin Kovacs; George Kralik, D.D.S., P.C.; Louise N. & Robert D. Kranyik; Andrea N. Lauer Rice; Eva Laxer; K.N. & Melinda A. Lehoczky; Zsuzsa Lengyel; Karen D. Loch & Daniel Person; Charles J. & Katalin Makos and Hanna Lang; Martha & Bela Liptak; David J. Mangini; Claudia Margitay-Balogh; Zdenek Markovic, Sr.; Janos Marozsan; Eva Maria Matte (several donations); Tommie Matthews; Stephen McKelvey; Eva-Marie Medeiros; Thomas J. & Zada B. Megonigal; Frances McLeod Moriarty; Janos L.F. Molnar; Minnesota Hungarians, Inc. (Csilla Grauzer, President); Irene & Michael R. Morris; N.N.; Kathleen M. Nagy (several donations); Zsolt V. Nemedi; Laszlo I. Nemeth; Bryan P. & Beth F. Nesteriak; Esther K. Odescalchi; Elizabeth & Steve Olajos; Margaret Orhalmi (several donations); Margaret W. Painter; L. Laszlo & Veronica C. Pallos; Judit & George J. Paolini; Dorottya Pap; Edward R. & Joyce S. Parauka; Mr. & Mrs. John E. Parkerson; Pauway Corp.; Julianna Pergely; Helen S. Piscitelli; Edward J. & Frances J. Pochy; George Ponti; Sandor Popovics; Jr.; Vilmos & Roberta T. Pothansky; Anthony A. and Jennifer J. Rabb; Peter Racz; Attila Remenyik; William J. Rocker; Barbara S. & David A. Routhier; Diane Elizabeth Rydzy; Edward Rydzy; Marisa Rydzy; Mark A. Rydzy; Paulette A. & Wayne Rydzy; Phillip W. Schopper; Melinda Setenyi; Donald G. Sherrill & Kinga Ertavy Sherrill; Ferenc S. & Judit Sidlo; Csaba Siffel; Rebecca L. Sigmund; M. Zsuzsa Simandy; Ronald A. & Mary K. Skurat; Lorilee G. Slowik; Balazs B. Somogyi, M.D. & Csilla Somogyi; Thalia Syracopoulos; Karolina Szabo; Imrich Szafrics & Silvia Szafricsova; Paul & Manydia L. Szaloki; Mary T. & Alex Szedlmayer; Louis Szenczi; Geza & Aniko Szivos; Alexander & Jane A. Taubman; Paul M. & Marianne C. Toldalagi; Attila P. & Mary A. Toth; Lajos Toth & Emese Vas; Janet Tracy/Litchfield Newton, Ltd.; Traveland (Bridgeport, CT); Traveland (Shelton, CT); Catherine Vajtay; Frank & Kathleen Valu; George V. Vassiliou, Catherine & Joseph V. Vegliante; Zoltan Vegso; Dr. Karl G. Verebey; Andras & Zsuzsanna Veres; Esther E. Vitalis; The Volain Family/Bernard B. Volain; Volain & Volain, P.C.; Olga & Louis Voros; Erika and Howard N. White; Ralph Wilcox; Esther D. & Geza C. Ziegler

For future reference: we still accept cash donations; however, the International Documentary Association will no longer give receipts for them.

The film has a new credit card donation link! When you donate toward the Oscar race, the link provides instructions on how to get a receipt for U.S. taxpayers.

We do not have correct contact information (mailing address, email and/or phone numbers) for Arisztid Atkary, Gabor Beszedes, Annegret E. Kmeth, Stephen Kmeth, Gyongyi Nemeth, and Gabriella Oroszi. Kindly send your current info to ktothfilm@gmail.com.

For those of you who have not seen it yet, we would like to share our powerful poster with you.

Lastly, we’re happy to share that our office makes every possible effort to be environmentally conscious; we use recycled paper and maximize our resources.

Thank you to everyone for standing by this project! Please continue supporting our efforts to raise enough funds to participate in the Oscar race!

Respectfully and gratefully yours,
Klaudia Kovacs
Producer, Director, Writer
www.klaudiainc.com
klaudiakovacs@msn.com