The 100th birthday of “Big Sonia” Warshawski, local Holocaust survivor and star of the award-winning documentary of the same name, will be celebrated with a birthday party and screening of the documentary at the Glenwood Arts Theatre.
The first screening, scheduled on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m., has sold out; a 4 p.m. screening has been added.
Warshawski, whose tailor shop closed in 2023, has spoken publicly about her experiences surviving the Holocaust for years, telling The Chronicle that, “I’ll speak for those who never made it, and I feel the Almighty still wants me to do it.”
Inflatable Films, the company behind the “Big Sonia” documentary (led by her granddaughter Leah Warshawski), and the Glenwood Arts Theatre will hold the celebration on Nov. 15. Following the 7 p.m. screening, there will be a Q&A with the cast and directors, cake and cookies. Those who wear leopard print, Warshawski’s favorite, will be entered for a chance to win prizes from local vendors.
“We can’t think of a better way to celebrate Sonia’s 100th birthday than with our community and friends at Glenwood Arts Theatre,” Leah Warshawski said. “We spent eight months in the theater lobby when ‘Big Sonia’ was released, and it always feels like home for us to be around supportive community and audiences who are passionate about spreading love and kindness.”
In 2018, “Big Sonia” broke the box office record at Glenwood Arts Theatre when it screened for eight months in a row. A 60-minute version of the film recently aired on PBS for three years, and “Big Sonia” continues to be watched around the globe. Currently, the Museum of Kansas City has an interactive AI installation featuring Sonia Warshawski.
“The ‘#SoniaEffect’ is powerful in Kansas City, and we’re grateful for everyone who has become part of our Big Sonia family over the last 10 years,” Leah Warshawski said.
Sonia Warshawski’s message of kindness was summed up on the day she closed her tailor shop, when she told The Chronicle that “everyone should be treated in a loving way. If you handle people with love and understanding and be kind, they feel it.”
Tickets can be bought at fineartsgroup.com/movie/big-sonia-big-100th-b-day-bash. Event partners include Up, Up & Away Balloons and Good JuJu Bakery.