Lansing Michigan: Library of Michigan With Zaneta Adams

• Thursday, May 14, 2026

• 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

• Library of Michigan (map)

A special free Old Heart screening honors our Veterans ahead of Memorial Day. Director of the Michigan Department of Veterans Affairs Terry Sabo will speak prior to the film. His predecessor and Old Heart costar Zaneta Adams will speak about the film and her service in the American military following after the movie. She will be joined by lead actor Edward Gaines, Co-Director Kirk Wahamaki and Producer Roger Rapoport . Complete event details here.

Schiermoonikoog, Netherlands, Dorpshuis On Centrum

• Monday, May 4, 2026

• 5:00 PM 7:00 PM

• Dorpshuis On Centrum (map)‍ ‍

Adapted from Peter Ferry’s award winning novel, Old Heart has won eight awards for best feature. The film tells the story of Tom Johnson, an American soldier who is part of the Allied liberation of the Southern Netherlands in the fall of 1944. He works with Jewish translator, Sarah van Praag, to smuggle food and supplies to starving residents of northern cities trapped behind Nazi lines. They also fall in love.

Sixty years later, in the summer of 2005, Tom foils his family’s plan to move him to an assisted living facility by taking a flight to the Netherlands. He is determined to find Sarah again, the love of his life. 

The Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944-45, is central to this screenplay which has won seven best feature film awards at festivals in America and abroad.

Watch the trailer here.

Details at (+31) 519 531 456
info@dorpshuisschiermonnikoog.nl

Leende, Netherlands Dorpshuis De Schammert With Co-Star

• Friday, May 8, 2026

• 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM ‍

Old Heart co-star Dutch costar Eva Doueiri joins a talkback following this special screening in Brabant where the movie was filmed. For more information call 0403887228 or email beheer@deschammert.nlhttps://www.deschammert.nl/

St. Augustine, Florida Film Society With Co-Star

• Sunday, May 24, 2026

• 6:00 PM 9:30 PM

• Unitarian Universalist Church (map)

Old Heart costar Zaneta Adams, joins the film’s Florida premiere screening with the St. Augustine Film Society. After serving as Director of Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) moved on to be Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Her work in the Biden administration was liaison work with federal, state, tribal, and international governments. Her personal experience as a service-disabled veteran has shaped her advocacy for military families, women veterans, and disabled veterans. She frequently keynotes veterans events around the country. Adams. She was inducted into the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor for her work for veterans in 2025.

About Old Heart:
2025 Winner Best 8 Festival Best Feature Awards in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Poland and India.

Adapted from Peter Ferry’s award winning novel, Old Heart tells the story of black soldier Tom Johnson fighting the world's greatest racist as part of the segregated American Army. He works with a Jewish translator, Sarah van Praag, to smuggle food and supplies from liberated southern Netherlands to starving residents of northern cities trapped behind Nazi lines. They also fall in love.

Sixty years later, in the summer of 2005, Tom foils his family’s plan to move him to assisted living by secretly flying to Amsterdam. With his children in hot pursuit, Tom is determined to find Sarah, the love of his life.

Old Heart's focus on how people cross cultural boundaries to find common ground makes the film especially timely. A tribute to elder independence, Old Heart also explores the hidden history of the black soldiers in World War 2's only integrated American Army unit, the Red Ball Express. After the war General Patton said his forces would not have made it to Berlin without this critical 6,000 truck supply team dominated by courageous black soldiers.

Old Heart has won over 30 festival awards for acting, editing, cinematography, screenwriting and costuming. A lesson plan available with the film is being used in schools in America and Europe.

"A Stunning Story, Compelling, Entertaining" - Chicago Tribune

“Fabulous. The cinematography led by David Darling is excellent. The editing by Gene Gamache is first class. Powerful performances from Jamelle Sargent as the young Tom and Eva Doueiri as the young Sarah.” - Tony Moore, Indy Film Library

"South Haven, Michigan Lake Michigan College

• Monday, June 22, 2026

• 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

• Lake Michigan College 125 Veterans Boulevard South Haven, MI, 49090 United States (map)

Winner Best 8 Festival Best Feature Awards in Los Angeles, Chicago, Iowa, New York, Poland and India.

"A Stunning Story, Compelling, Entertaining" - Chicago Tribune

“Fabulous. The cinematography led by David Darling is excellent. The editing by Gene Gamache is first class. Powerful performances from Jamelle Sargent as the young Tom and Eva Doueiri as the young Sarah.” - Tony Moore, Indy Film Library

This free Monday, June 22 Old Heart screening includes:

6:30 pm: Preglow Reception ( Light refreshments)

7:00 pm: Intro & Film

8:45 pm Talk Back

9:00 pm Closing Remarks, Acknowledgments

Reservations are requested at shapirolerner@gmail.com Walk-ins are welcome.

Evening's Co Hosts: 

First Hebrew Congregation of South Haven, (Remey Rubin & Dana Hullinger)

Lily of the Valley, Covert  (Pastor Darryl Williams)

Temple B'nai Shalom, St. Joseph, Benton Harbor(David Ravitch)

Pastor Williams, Remey Rubin and David Ravitch will have brief remarks.

Advocacy: Attendees are encouraged to email or write members of the national Black Caucus and our Michigan elected officials to prioritize restoration of a commemorative plaque honoring World War 2 black grave diggers at the American Battle Monuments Commission’s Margraten Cemetery visitors center in the Netherlands. This plaque, taken down by Pentagon order in 2025, documents the stories of the American Black soldiers who fought to liberate northern Netherlands after the South was freed in the fall of 1944.. Their memories should not be forgotten. They saved many Jews, members of the resistance and citizens of the Netherlands. For more information visit these stories in The Hill and Nu? Detroit.

About Old Heart:

Adapted from Peter Ferry’s award winning novel, Old Heart tells the story of black soldier Tom Johnson fighting the world's greatest racist as part of the segregated American Army. He works with a Jewish translator, Sarah van Praag, to smuggle food and supplies from liberated southern Netherlands to starving residents of northern cities trapped behind Nazi lines. They also fall in love.

Sixty years later, in the summer of 2005, Tom foils his family’s plan to move him to assisted living by secretly flying to Amsterdam. With his children in hot pursuit, Tom is determined to find Sarah, the love of his life.

Old Heart's focus on how people cross cultural boundaries to find common ground makes the film especially timely. A tribute to elder independence, Old Heart also explores the hidden history of the black soldiers in World War 2's only integrated American Army unit, the Red Ball Express. After the war General Patton said his forces would not have made it to Berlin without this critical 6,000 truck supply team dominated by courageous black soldiers.

Old Heart has won two dozen festival awards for acting, editing, cinematography, screenwriting and costuming. A school esson plan focusing on student Hidden History projects is available on request.

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Lake Forest, Illinois Gorton Center

• Sunday, July 12, 2026

• 2:00 PM 4:00 PM

• Gorton Center 400 East Illinois Road Lake Forest, IL, 60045 United States (map)‍ ‍

This special tribute event honors Old Heart author Peter Ferry who taught English at Lake Forest High School for 28 years. Following the screening codirector Kirk Wahamaki will join producer/screenwriter Roger Rapoport and one of the film’s costars for an audience discussion. Some of Ferry’s students and faculty colleagues will join this special event.

Tickets are available at this link.‍ ‍

Old Heart focuses on how people cross cultural boundaries to find common ground. In addition to honoring black soldiers who have fought for our country back to the American liberation, the film, is also a tribute to elder independence. Set in Detroit and the Netherlands, Old Heart was filmed in West Michigan and the Dutch community of Veldhoven. Twenty-three Michigan actors are featured along with Amsterdam actress Eva Doueiri in her screen debut.

This 90 minuter feature has won 8 best feature awards and two dozen other honors for directing, acting, cinematogrpahy, editing, costuming and screenwriting.

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Where We’ve Played.‍ ‍

Since its May Redford Theater premiere in Detroit, Old Heart has screened for over 150 audiences. They include the Park Slope Public Library Brooklyn New York, Berkeley California’s Hillside Club, the Culver Theate in Culver City, California, Kan Kan Cinema in Indianapolis and Chicago's Chopin Theater.

In addition to two week theatrical runs with Celebration Cinema in Norton Shores, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Kalamazoo, the film has played across Michigan at the State Theater in South Haven, the Garden Theater in Frankfort, the Dogwood Center in Fremont, the Ludington Arts Center, The Miliken Theater in Traverse City, Southfield Center, Hope College’s Stempien Auditiorium in Holland for the Association for the Advancement of Dutch American Studies, the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Friendship Village in Kalamazoo, the Wealthy Theater and the Veterans Home in Grand Rapids and Mona Shores High School in Norton Shores. Old Heart has also screened at more than two dozen film festivals across America, in Europe and Asia. They include the Vero Beach Film, Asian Talent, Marina Del Rey, Edukino (Poland)l, Los Angeles Stars, the Crown Point International, the Gothamite. East Village and Farm to Film Festivals where the film won best feature honors.

In addition the film has screened in the Netherlands at Kijkhuis Leiden, Theater De Schalm in Veldhoven and Biesbosch Eiland Museum. In France Old Heart played on Crosie Europe’s Loire Princess.

For inquires about booking the film for a screening, please contact Producer Roger Rapoport at rogerdrapoport@me.com (231) 720-0930 (v0ice only).

Old Heart Screenings in Holland

Old Heart Screenings