A VIP fundraiser for “BIG SONIA,” a feature documentary profiling Sonia Warshawski, is scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. Jan. 31, as a special event through the Kansas City Jewish Film Festival. Filmmakers and co-directors Leah Warshawski and Todd Soliday will screen 30 minutes of new footage they are editing for the film.
At age 90, “BIG SONIA’s” Sonia Warshawski is one of the last Holocaust survivors in the Kansas City area that speaks publicly about her wartime experience. The film follows Sonia and her tailor shop — John’s Tailoring (formerly at Metcalf South Mall) — inspiring audiences to find meaning in their own lives and live each day to the fullest. Sonia, according to filmmaker and granddaughter Leah Warshawski, is a tiny woman who makes a big difference and is full of “chutzpah.”
“BIG SONIA” was one of 18 projects from around the globe recently accepted into the HotDocs Pitch Forum in Toronto, and participated in the IFP Filmmaker conference in New York last year. In January 2015, BIG SONIA won “IndieWire Project of the Month” and other press outlets have featured the project including The Huffington Post, Closer Weekly and The Jewish Sound.
The film has raised more than $140,000 to date through a combination of grants and individual donations. The filmmakers are currently looking for $50,000 to complete “BIG SONIA” this summer and begin marketing and distributing the film. They also plan to include an extensive community outreach and educational campaign with the film.
They will be making a pitch for donations at this special event.
Leah Warshawski and Soliday will answer questions following the screening. Some of the main characters from the film, including Sonia, will be present at the reception to say hello, take photos and give autographs. This event will also be the first time Sonia will see any of the film on the big screen.
In addition to the screening, donations are being accepted at the project website, www.bigsonia.com or by emailing Leah Warshawski at .
Ten percent of the proceeds from Kansas City Jewish Film Festival event will go toward Holocaust and anti-bullying organizations in middle schools and high schools throughout Kansas City. The organizations will be announced at the event.
Learn more about the project and see a teaser for the film at www.bigsonia.com.
Vote for ‘Big Sonia’
Every Monday through Thursday Indiewire selects a Project of the Day. Some days, it’s a feature-length documentary, other times it’s an experimental short or a Web series pilot. Now these hundreds of worthy endeavors have been narrowed down to just 12 and the opportunity to participate in the crowning of the 2015 crowd favorite is here.
“BIG SONIA” won INDIEWIRE Project of the Month in January 2015 and is now in the running for Project of the Year. Voting continues through tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 15. Go to indiewire.com to vote.