The circus saved Ildiko Trien’s life.
As a child in Soviet-era Romania, Trien lived in the shadow of fear. Her father had been imprisoned in the gulags, forced labor camps during Stalin’s “reign of terror” that were notorious for their brutality. Her family lost their home and any sense of stability, left to navigate a world where hope was fleeting.
But in chaos, she found an unlikely refuge: the circus.
The circus helped her remain invisible, carried her across borders, and ultimately opened the door to freedom and a career in the fashion industry.
Now, decades later, Trien’s story is helping students across Florida better understand the meaning of freedom Her story is featured in Portraits in Patriotism, an educational series created by the University of South Florida’s College of Education and USF Innovative Education Studios. The project blends cinematic storytelling with firsthand accounts of people who fled authoritarian regimes and found refuge in America.
Originally commissioned by the Florida Department of Education, the project brings together award-winning educators and an Emmy-winning production team to create deeply personal learning experiences for students.
“The stories offer students a deeply personal lens on the principles of democracy and civic responsibility,” said Bárbara Cruz, professor of social science education and curriculum consultant on the project. “These are real people who risked everything for freedom.”
Turning Heads Beyond the Classroom
The work is also receiving national attention for its cinematic presentation, storytelling, and editing.
The collaboration between USF faculty and the creative team at InEd Studios has drawn widespread recognition. The series won two Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards in 2023. It won a Davey award from the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts that same year and this week, the Davey’s spotlighted the production work on its website. More recently, it was nominated for a Webby Award, placing InEd Studios in the same category as digital content giants FX, Hulu, and Tubi.
“The nomination is a powerful example of how university-based production teams can create content that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the biggest names in entertainment,” said Jared Brown, director of InEd Studios.
The video featuring Trien’s story challenged the team to stretch their creative vision.
“We started with a straightforward plan: interviews, archival footage, her voice,” said Gary Granger, senior producer. “But during editing, a team member suggested reenactments. Suddenly, we were imagining her escape unfolding on screen—not just in words. It was a leap that transformed the film.”
The team handled pre-production remotely, interviewing Trien virtually and scouting locations in New York using Google Maps. The final film delivers an emotional, cinematic experience that resonates deeply with its young audiences. The full series will be available statewide through CPALMS, Florida’s official platform for standards-aligned teaching materials. Each video includes lessons developed by USF education faculty and meets state civics benchmarks.
“The feedback we’ve received from educators has been incredible,” said Cruz. “The teachers have been using the resources in their classrooms and the students are invested in each one. They have a lot of great follow-up questions and want more.”