DIRECTOR WITH KC TIES DEBUTS AT SUNDANCE — Garret Price, the grandson of Janet and Harold Price, made his directorial debut in the full-length documentary “Love, Antosha.” The film is one of 111 feature-length films being screened at the Sundance Film Festival, this year slated for Jan. 24 through Feb. 3.
The first-time director described “Love, Antosha” as a documentary about the extraordinary life and career of the late actor Anton Yelchin. The actor is best known for his role as Pavel Chekov in three “Star Trek” movies released in 2009, 2013 and 2016. Yelchin was the son of Jewish figure skaters from the former Soviet Union who fled to the United States when he was just 6 months old. His 2016 death outside his home is attributed to a freak accident involving his SUV.
Price, who was asked to direct the documentary by Yelchin’s parents, said the names of the film’s narrator and its star are being kept under wraps until the film’s premier at Sundance.
“He (Yelchin) was such an amazing human being and had a profound effect on so many people, which makes the film such a mesmerizing watch,” said Price, whose father, Steve Price, grew up in Prairie Village and graduated from Shawnee Mission East High School.
LENDING A HELPING HAND AT THE HOLIDAYS — For 31 years in what a local Ronald McDonald House spokesman calls “an awesome show of
holiday spirit,” members of the local Jewish community will be stepping in and taking over the three Kansas City Ronald McDonald Houses on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This allows all the regular Christian volunteers to spend time with their families on those special days. Known as “The Christmas Mitzvah Project,” they will staff the kitchen and do laundry and a myriad of other things to keep the families focused on their kids who are hospitalized at Children’s Mercy and other area hospitals.
The effort is led by Suzanne Gladney and Alan Lubert, who have been coordinating this effort for 31 years. Celebrating their 30th anniversary as volunteers with the project are Lynn Murray and Richard Gilman and their family. A homemade turkey dinner, cooked on-site, is one of the items on this year’s menu.
CANDLE WAX REMOVER — I learned last week there is a product that can help clean candle wax off candlesticks or in my case, my hanukkiot. I looked it up online and found something called Spray Away Wax-Off Remover. This is how it is promoted: “No more scrapping, freezing or boiling water to clean up wax drippings, just spray it away! Simply spray the ‘Wax-Off’ remover to remove candle wax drippings from most surfaces and fabrics. For use after the candles finish burning. 4 oz. bottle.” Has anyone used it? Would love to hear about the experiences with this product, both good and bad. Email me at .