KANSAS CITY, Mo. — You can watch a new documentary on the big screen in Overland Park this weekend along with another powerful documentary that has impacted so many people over the years.
"Uncle Bully’s Surf Skool" will screen Friday night at Glenwood Arts Theatre followed by a Q & A with the man at the center of the film, Bull Kotter who goes by ‘Bully,’ and the directors behind the film Leah Warshawski and Todd Soliday. They also directed the documentary Big Sonia, which told the story of Sonia Warshawski, who survived the Holocaust and continues to impact people all over the world with her message of love. Sonia is Leah’s grandmother.
Leah Warshawski and the team started filming Uncle Bully’s Surf Skool following a man in Lahaina giving surf lessons to local kids, including some who were homeless. The lessons go far beyond surfing, including local culture, ocean preservation, kindness and more.
“He’s talking about bullying and why it’s important to be a good person,” Warshawski said. “So he’s really kind of mentoring the next generation of humans and doing the best that he can to share his trauma growing up so that other kids don’t have to go through what he went through. He’s trying to make it a little bit easier.”
You can buy tickets to Friday’s showing of Uncle Billy’s Surf Skool or the Saturday showing of Big Sonia at Glenwood Arts Theatre here in Overland Park.
With each screening, they work to impact children in the community and will be visiting with students at a Kansas City area school to screen the film as well.
When a devastating and deadly fire destroyed so much of Lahaina, the crew went back to film more and add to the story.
Inflatable Film is also hoping to continue helping the west Maui community after the devastating fire. You can contribute to the Uncle Bully’s Surf Skool Film Impact Initiative and read more about the work they hope to continue through their GoFundMe.
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