At Reason.tv: Return to the Gulag—Jon Utley's Search for His Father

Jon Utley was two years old in Moscow when his father, Arcadi Berdichevsky, a Russian trade official, was sent to a labor camp by the Soviet secret police. His mother, Freda Utley, escaped with Jon to England and then to America.

In 2004 and 2006, Utley, a well-known journalist, embarked upon a search to learn of his father's fate. This documentary traces Utley's journey through former labor camps and cities in northern Russia and his final uncovering of the horrible truth at the dreaded camp city of Vorkuta within the Artic Circle.

Directed by John J. Michalczyk, Return to the Gulag is a small but revealing window into Russia's turbulent 1930s.

Reason.tv is proud to present this Etoile Production, which was funded by The Freda Utley Foundation and the Jacques Salmanowitz Program For Moral Courage in Film at Boston College. Thanks also to the Fitzgerald Griffin Foundation.

For more information about the documentary, visit http://fredautley.com/Berdichevsky.htm.

For more links and related articles and videos (including Utley's appearance on the Reason.tv Talk Show), go here.

For a DVD version of this program ($15 donation, plus shipping), please go to the website of The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation or email [e-mail].

Approximately 28 minutes. ©2008 The Freda Utley Foundation.

Comments

[Bubba]

"Bubba" ain't goin' to no damn Obama gulag or democRAT re-education labor camp.

[Democrat]

Wait, I'm confused, I didn't see Guantanamo Bay anywhere.

[Lester Hunt]

This is a powerful and enlightening documentary.

[copy editor]

Directed by John J. Michalczyk, Return [to] the Gulag is a small but revealing window into Russia's turbulent 1930s.

The missing article changes the meaning a bit.

[Naga Sadow as Stalinist shill]

copy editor,

That depends on the message you're intending to send.

[Joe Kristan]

Watched it last night. I've read a lot about the camps, starting with Solzhenitsyn's books; seeing the archival video, and video of the camp ruins, adds much. Stalin was right when he said millions of deaths were a mere statistic; following Mr. Utley's quest brings the tragedy to life.

[Rabscuttle]

Google targeted ads are awfully annoying most of the time, but times like this are comedy gold. Who on earth would think that a page with "Gulag" in the title is a good spot for a Russian mail-order bride ad?

[Kunal]

Directed by John J. Michalczyk, Return [to] the Gulag is a small but revealing window into Russia's turbulent 1930s.

The missing article changes the meaning a bit.

Well, since you're being pedantic, I think you meant the missing preposition
changes the meaning a bit.

[Thomas Paine\'s Goiter]

This is an amazing video. Thanks Nick.

[Aresen]

Awesome.

Thanks, Nick.

Small picky point:
There is a difference between an "expatriate" and an "Ex-Patriot".

[Hello]

Lets not forget the reason this was allowed to happen, jewish and american government aid.

[Aresen]

Hello | March 1, 2009, 5:32pm | #

Lets not forget the reason this was allowed to happen, jewish and american government aid.

It is not necessary to make a fool of you, as you have done it so completely yourself.