Give Kids the World Village is in the midst of celebrating its 40th anniversary, and as part of the celebrations, a short animated film tracing the journey of founder Henri Landwirth will be screened.
The Kissimmee-based nonprofit provides free time off to seriously ill children and their families. Its roots go back to Landwirth’s harrowing childhood in Poland during World War II. During that time, he experienced a dramatic and well-timed act of kindness.
“What Henri Gave to the World” covers that journey and shows how Give Kids the World was inspired and connected to the organization, which has helped 200,000 families since its founding in 1986.
“He was able to understand that it wasn’t money that made him happy; it was serving others,” Gary Landwirth, one of Henry’s sons, said at a recent screening inside the village’s Castle of Miracles.
“We couldn’t have this village without understanding how he saw the world in the movies and how he saw himself in the eyes of the people here,” Gary Landwirth said. “Because he understood what it was like to not know if you were going to live tomorrow or the day after.”
Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda / Orlando Sentinel
Henri Landwirth, founder of Give Kids The World Village, celebrated the Kissimmee organization’s 20th anniversary in 2006. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
Directed by Fernando Tosetti, the film depicts Henri’s happy childhood, which is disrupted by the separation of his parents and twin sister during the war. His teenage years were spent in a concentration camp.
Eventually, with the help of enemy soldiers, he gains freedom and a family in the countryside who will take care of him. The project also includes Landwirth’s move to the United States and his path to becoming a Central Florida hotelier and philanthropist.
Audrey Perrault, who wrote the screenplay, said, “My job as a children’s book writer is to write stories that deal with multi-layered and sometimes difficult themes that are easy for children and families to understand and enjoy reading and absorbing,” and said that the story was a revised attempt to turn the story into a picture book.
In this animated film, stars are used to represent the Landwirth family, tying in with the tradition of golden stars placed in the village rafters to represent visiting children.
“This star served as a beautiful little metaphor for being able to show the darkest parts of Henry’s story and the film, but to be able to do it in a way that symbolizes him and his family, the families here visiting the village, and the families lost in the Holocaust, and in a very gentle and relatable way,” Perrault said.
“To fully understand the brightness of Give Kids the World Village, you must also know its dark side,” she said.
As part of the celebrations, an elaborate star representing Henri Landwirth was installed at the Miraculous Castle on National Day, which would have been his 99th birthday. Mr. Landwirth passed away in 2018.
“It all goes back to his vision of creating this place where kids can just be kids. Families can make memories and feel safe. They don’t have to worry about anything…and really protect that integrity and really protect the integrity of the children that we serve,” said Caroline Schumacher, current CEO of Give Kids the World Village.
“And when you look at why it’s in the shield, Henri protected these children and their memories and made sure they had a certain family, a family and a heart,” she said.
The 89-acre resort features more than 160 villas for guest families. We have 200 employees and more than 15,000 volunteer workers. Its work is supported by national and local businesses, including attraction businesses and theme parks, who regularly make door-to-door donations.
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For now, the film will be shown in the Village as an introduction of sorts. Schumacher said it may eventually be posted on the group’s website, making it accessible to the general public and Give Kids alumni.
“This is a way that volunteers, storytellers and family members in particular can have the opportunity to connect with Henri, because he is no longer physically with us and we want to share it widely,” she said.
dbevil@orlandosentinel.com
