The Film

The Film:

Frank (Misa) Grunwald was born in Czechoslovakia in September of 1932. Four months later, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. Misa's Fugue is the true story of one boy's journey through Prague, Terezin, Auschwitz, Mauthausen, Melk, and Gunskirchen as a victim of arbitrary Nazi oppression. While exposed to some of the most horrific people, places, and events of the Holocaust, Frank Grunwald was able to endure the atrocities of genocide through a love for art and music that his childhood in Prague had instilled in him. His story of suffering, loss, and self-discovery is poignantly told from the perspective of a child who has lived with these tragic memories for more than half of a century. Encountering the notorious Dr. Josef Mengele and legendary artist Dina Babbit along the way, Frank Grunwald's life demonstrates the decision that all men and women must make to devote their lives either to the creation or destruction of human civilization.

The tapestry of tragedy and artistry in the life of Frank Grunwald is interwoven with the teenage painters, sculptors, musicians, and filmmakers from Fleetwood Area High School who collaborated to create a documentary that attempts to embellish the creative spirit amidst the most destructive moment in human history.

Poignantly told through film and interviews with Frank Grunwald, the documentary was edited, musically scored and visually supported by the efforts of students and faculty of Fleetwood Area High School.

Run Time: 92 Minutes