Glenwood Arts Theater will screen three different Jewish-themed movies in March: “The Optimist,” “The Last Twins” and “Among Neighbors.” Located in the Ranch Mart Shopping Center (3707 W. 95th St., Overland Park, KS 66206), Glenwood Arts has run many Jewish-themed movies, including frequently screening “Big Sonia.”
“The Optimist” will play on Sunday, March 15, at 1:15 p.m. Starring Stephen Lang (from “Avatar”) as Herbert, Elsie Fisher (from “Eighth Grade”) as Abby and Luke David Blumm (from “Where the Crawdads Sing”) as young Herbert, “The Optimist” is about resilience, remembrance and the life-changing impact of being truly heard. The story centers around the relationship of a Holocaust survivor and a troubled teen as they bond.
“The Last Twins” will open at Glenwood Arts on Friday, March 20, for limited shows. It is the never-before-told story of an unsung hero of the Holocaust, Erno “Zvi” Spiegel, who risked everything to save dozens of young twins from almost certain death at Auschwitz. Under the shadow of Dr. Josef Mengele’s horrific experiments, Spiegel shielded the most vulnerable — the sets of twins targeted for brutal medical experimentation. Mengele put Spiegel in charge of the young boys, but Spiegel used his position to protect and comfort the children, all of whom had been torn from their families and subjected to inhumane tests under the constant threat of extermination.
“Among Neighbors” will be screened on Saturday, March 28, at 4 p.m. and Wednesday, April 1, at 5:30 p.m. Using hand-drawn animation, “Among Neighbors” investigates the story of a small, rural town where the longstanding peace between Jewish and Polish neighbors was shattered by World War II. The film focuses on the only living Holocaust survivor from the town and an aging eyewitness who saw Jews murdered there, six months after the Nazis were defeated. It is produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker Yoav Potash.
More information and tickets are available at fineartsgroup.com.
