The Museum of Kansas City is excited to announce a new free film series in collaboration with Kansas City PBS and Inflatable Film. All films will be show in the JE Dunn Construction Theater on the third floor of Corinthian Hall. Popcorn and drinks will be available for purchase in Elixir for guests to enjoy during the films.
Each month, films produced by Kansas City PBS will be shown at 11:30 a.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 12:30 p.m. on Sundays in the JE Dunn Construction Theater. Check this website page at the beginning of each month for the new schedule of films by Kansas City PBS.
For the next year, Big Sonia, a feature film by Inflatable Film will be shown at 3:00 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 3:15 p.m. on Sundays. Before or after the film, guests are also invited to experience Sonia for themselves at the Big Sonia interactive in the Our City, Our Stories gallery.
In addition, Homeland, a film by Craig Dos Santos and Haskell University Student Dacotah Hasvold (Flandreau Santee Sioux) will be shown on a loop from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 2:00-3:00 p.m. on Sundays. This film is part of the exhibition, Homeland: The Osage in Missouri.
PLAYING IN SEPTEMBER
We are Latinos: Discovering the Latino Community of Kansas City
We are Latinos I (18:57) & We are Latinos II (26:46)
11:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 3
11:30 a.m. on Friday, September 4
11:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 5
12:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 6
Produced by Kansas City PBS, this four-part documentary celebrates the vibrant Latinx community of Kansas City. Each installment spotlights three remarkable individuals whose lives and work continue to make a lasting impact on the city’s cultural and social landscape. Through intimate interviews, poetic narration, and rich visual storytelling, including illustrations and archival footage, the series offers a deeply personal look into the experiences, struggles and triumphs of its subjects.
In We are Latinos I, explore the stories, hopes, and accomplishments of the vibrant – and underappreciated – Kansas City Latino community. The stories of Latino artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, immigrants and proud Americans unfolds in this cinematic and beautifully shot documentary, highlighting the diversity of the community in the metro. Featured are Jenny Mendez, a third-generation Mexican American artist raised on the west side of Kansas City who created her first mural in 1982 and is cultural arts director at the Mattie Rhodes Center; and Kiki, a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient who came to the United States from Mexico at age 7, as she returns to her country through memories – not being able to visit her family in person, we reunite them through film.
Big Sonia (93:00)
3:00 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays
3:15 p.m. Sundays
In the last store in a defunct shopping mall, 91-year-old Sonia Warshawski – great-grandmother, businesswoman, and Holocaust survivor – runs the tailor shop she’s owned for more than 30 years. But when she’s served an eviction notice, the specter of retirement prompts Sonia to resist her harrowing past as a refugee and witness to genocide. A poignant story of generational trauma and healing, Big Sonia also offers a laugh-out-loud-funny portrait of the power of love to triumph over bigotry, and the power of truth-telling to heal us all. Produced by Inflatable Film and premiered in 2016 on both coasts at Napa Film Festival and DOC NYC.
We are Latinos III (26:46); We are Latinos IV (26:46)
11:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 10
11:30 a.m. on Friday, September 11
11:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 12
12:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 13
Produced by Kansas City PBS, this four-part documentary celebrates the vibrant Latinx community of Kansas City. Each installment spotlights three remarkable individuals whose lives and work continue to make a lasting impact on the city’s cultural and social landscape. Through intimate interviews, poetic narration, and rich visual storytelling, including illustrations and archival footage, the series offers a deeply personal look into the experiences, struggles and triumphs of its subjects.
In the third installment by filmmaker Victor Antillanca, We Are Latinos follows three local trailblazers using their diverse perspectives to strengthen their communities. We Are Latinos III features author and poet José Faus, up-and-coming comic book artist Baldemar Rivas and the first female president of the KC Estilo low-rider club, Monica Peña. The stories reveal the significant contributions of Kansas City’s Latinx community. Through their experiences, audiences gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the diverse cultural and personal narratives that collectively shape the identity and vibrancy of the city.
In the fourth installment of the series, We are Latinos IV features three inspiring Kansas City-based Latinx artists: Dani Coronado, Juan Moya, and Adolfo Martinez. Through vibrant visuals, thoughtful narration and personal interviews, the film explores their journeys, cultural heritage and contributions to the community, offering a powerful celebration of resilience and creativity.
A Century of Change: Negro League Centennial Celebration (49:00)
11:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 17
11:30 a.m. on Friday, September 18
11:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 19
12:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 20
Produced by Kansas City PBS, this film explores the founding of the Negro National League and its enduring legacy. On Feb. 13 and 14, 1920, talks were held in Kansas City, that established the Negro National League; 100 years later we are here to preserve the memory and legacy of what was not only an economic staple for the Black community but a pride that stood alongside historical highlights such as 18th and Vine. The films sets out to uncover the story and the historical facts about how African Americans sustained in the times after the Great War and half a century post-Civil War. The film tells the story of communities thriving and making a way to not only support its own but sustain.
Music is an Immigrant (26:40)
11:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 24
11:30 a.m. on Friday, September 25
11:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 26
12:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 27
Produced by Kansas City PBS, this film follows Enrique and Diego Chi of Making Movies, a Kansas City-based band with deep connections to the rhythms and sounds of Central America, as they return to Panama to visit their grandmother. In this 30-minute documentary, the brothers will explore their musical influences and perform songs from their shared cultural heritage.
Before or after the film, guests are also invited to experience a short film about Enrique Chi as part of KC Together in the Our City, Our Stories gallery.