October 28, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Leslie Unger - (310) 247-3000
                        lunger@oscars.org

Beverly Hills, CA - Two films that focus on World War II will be screened for the November 12 installment of the Contemporary Documentary Series, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy Foundation and the UCLA Film and Television Archive. The screening will begin at 7:30 p.m. in UCLA's James Bridges Theater.

In "The Price of Freedom," seven American men imprisoned by our enemies during WWII delve deep into their psyches to create a composite portrait of the prisoner-of-war experience. Their common experiences of horror, shame, survival, struggle and liberation shape their lives to this day, and in this film, together they make sense of and embrace their roles in preserving America's freedom. The film was directed by Bruce Norfleet, who also produced with Steve Kalafer.

"Berga: Soldiers of Another War" was directed by Charles Guggenheim and produced by Grace Guggenheim. After capturing thousands of American troops at the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, German forces separated out Americans who were Jewish or even suspected of being Jewish. These "undesirables" were sent to Berga, a satellite camp of Buchenwald, where many died under deplorable conditions working with fellow concentration camp inmates as slave laborers.

When Germany's defeat appeared imminent by 1945, surviving prisoners were sent on a death march, receiving little food or water. This is the story of the American GI Holocaust, which has remained largely a secret, lost in the trauma of the great war. The film's producer is expected to attend the screening.

Admission to all screenings in the series is free. The James Bridges Theater is located in Westwood on the northeast corner of the UCLA campus, near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Hilgard Avenue. Parking is available for $7 in Lot 3, adjacent to the theater. For more information, call 310-247-3600 or 310-206-FILM.