The past can be a strange place to visit. Some people want to avoid it; some want to embrace it. In “Treasure,” Lena Dunham and Stephen Fry play a Polish father and daughter who hit the road to face their family’s history.
Stephen Fry (as Edek): “What Jew goes to Poland as tourist?”
Lena Dunham (as Ruthie): “You and Mom never talked about the past, so I wanted to see where you grew up.”
Lena Dunham is on a mission to uncover where she comes from in “Treasure.” She told Deco making the movie was an opportunity to get closer to her people.
Lena Dunham: “I felt it was a chance to speak to my family and to be part of a little bit of a love letter to my family.”
Lena plays Ruthie, a New York-based writer who needs to fill in the blanks about her parents’ lives. The actress can definitely relate to her character’s situation.
Lena Dunham: “My grandmother was a Polish Jew, my grandfather was a Russian immigrant, also Jewish, and there was so much that they didn’t talk about in their lives.”
Stephen Fry is Edek, a Holocaust survivor who hides his painful memories behind a cheery disposition.
Stephen Fry (as Edek): “This is my daughter, very famous in New York.”
Lena Dunham (as Ruthie): “No, I’m a journalist.”
Stephen Fry (as Edek): “Yes, for the rich and the famous.”
Lena Dunham (as Ruthie): “I talk to famous people. That does not make me famous.”
His character hit very close to home.
Stephen Fry: “I guess I recognize my grandfather in it, who was a similar character to Edek. He was warm and impulsive and spoke to strangers and embarrassed the family.”
The movie shows the struggle between two family members, who are trying to help each other get unstuck from the past.
Stephen Fry: “The younger generation didn’t quite see why the older ones didn’t want to look back, and the older ones didn’t understand how the young ones needed to be a part of the family history and needed to understand it.”
Stephen Fry (as Edek): “Ruthie, if you want to see my old home, I show you the house.”
In the end, “Treasure” is about love, forgiveness and healing. And a good amount of laughter.
Stephen Fry (as Edek): “I couldn’t sleep; the bed was so lumpy. It’s good for the sex, you know, but not for the sleeping.”
Lena Dunham (as Ruthie): “Dad, don’t.”
Moviegoers can now find “Treasure” in theaters.
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