New York, N.Y. — From the iconic, red-banqueted tables of Manhattan’s Russian Samovar to the luminous glow of the big screen, the extraordinary life of Vlada Von Shats is stepping into the spotlight. Mama Vlada—the award-winning documentary directed by acclaimed international performer, composer, and musician Ellina Graypel—will captivate audiences at Brooklyn’s historic Kent Theater from February 6–12, 2026.
Tickets are available through Fandango.com and at the Kent Theater box office, offering New Yorkers a rare opportunity to experience the story of a woman who turned a restaurant into a cultural sanctuary and a community lifeline.
Filmed in the beating heart of Manhattan, where Broadway’s radiance meets the constant hum of the city, Mama Vlada is a deeply personal portrait of resilience, artistic spirit, and unshakeable compassion.
For decades, Vlada Von Shats has been the matriarch of the Russian Samovar, the famed 52nd Street institution that has welcomed artists, dreamers, immigrants, and intellectuals with equal warmth.
Under her stewardship, the Samovar has become far more than a restaurant—it is a haven where culture, cuisine, and humanity converge. Graypel’s film captures this world with emotional clarity and vivid authenticity.
“Someone with a big heart made a film about someone with a bigger heart,”
—New York State Assemblyman Michael Novakhov
For director Ellina Graypel, the project is as personal as it is artistic. A Belarusian-American composer, director, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Graypel is a passionate advocate for human rights, world music, and the visibility of Jewish women in the music community.
A member of the Recording Academy and a prolific creator with more than 700 compositions spanning rock, jazz, folk, musical theater, and film, she brings a global sensibility and emotional depth to the documentary.
Her shelves are lined with accolades—from the InterContinental Music Awards to the Crystal Star Awards and Global Music Awards—each reflecting a career defined not only by technical mastery but by the ability to illuminate the human condition through music.
Mama Vlada has already garnered significant acclaim on the festival circuit, earning recognition for both its artistry and its heart. The documentary was accepted into the prestigious Cannes Marketplace and continues to draw enthusiastic attention. Its honors include: NY Short Awards — Best Human Rights Film; LA Movie & Music Video Awards — Winner; Belgrade International Film Festival 2026 — Official Selection; HollyShorts Dubai Film Festival — Best First-Time Director.
At its core, Mama Vlada is a powerful human-interest story—one that gives voice to those who often go unheard.
“Mama Vlada is a portrait of courage, love, and community,” Graypel reflected. “Vlada Von Shats has been a guiding force for so many—from artists and immigrants to LGBTQ+ youth. Her story needed to be shared, and I am honored to have directed a film that does justice to her legacy.”
Helping shape the documentary’s narrative was Emmy Award–winning producer and writer, Patrice Samara, who served as Editorial Consultant.
Known for her longstanding commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices with clarity and integrity, Samara brought her trademark precision and empathy to the project.
Her guidance ensured that the film’s storytelling remained both compelling and truthful, honoring the complexities of Vlada’s journey while celebrating her indomitable spirit.
Music, too, becomes a character in Mama Vlada. Graypel’s score—rich, textured, and deeply emotive—weaves through the film like an aural tapestry, lifting each frame and infusing every moment with resonance.
Her compositions transcend background music; they become the heartbeat of the film, echoing its themes of resilience, love, and community.
Her stirring composition, “Teach Me How to Love” is a gripping and deeply meaningful love song. The file score carries the audience across emotional currents with grace, each motif reflecting the warmth and humanity that define Vlada’s legacy.
As Mama Vlada premieres at the Kent Theater, audiences will witness not just a documentary, but a testament to the power of one woman’s heart—and the community she built, nurtured, and forever transformed
A Living Piece of Brooklyn History
Award-Winning Documentary Mama Vlada Brings Life of Russian Samovar Matriarch to Big Screen.
Located at 1170 Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn, the Kent Theater has been a neighborhood fixture since it opened in 1939.
Designed by architect Charles A. Sandblom, the theater originally operated as a single-screen movie house serving local audiences with second-run films and double features during a golden era of neighborhood cinemas. Its enduring presence on the avenue has made it a beloved local landmark in Midwood and Flatbush for generations.
Over the decades, the Kent adapted to changing times. In 1986, the theater was reconfigured as a first-run twin screen, and by March 1991 it had been subdivided into a small triplex to accommodate multiple films simultaneously.
Throughout these transformations, it maintained its identity as one of the few remaining stand-alone movie houses in Brooklyn outside of larger multiplexes.
The Kent’s cultural reach extends into cinema history itself. The theater was used as a filming location in Woody Allen’s 1985 film The Purple Rose of Cairo — a detail Brooklyn movie lovers often cite with pride. Allen, who grew up nearby, chose the Kent for scenes that underscore the local character of his storytelling.
Unlike modern multiplexes dominated by large chains, the Kent has preserved much of its old-school charm. Its intimate auditoriums and throwback concessions create an atmosphere that harkens back to the neighborhood cinemas of mid-20th-century New York. Despite the pressures that shuttered many similar theaters, the Kent remains in operation — a modest but resilient cultural anchor on Coney Island Avenue.
A Community Theater in a Changing City
In recent years, the Kent has become known for special admissions and regular special pricing days that attract families and filmgoers across the borough. Its three screens serve as a gathering place for local audiences who value accessibility and neighborhood charm over the high-end amenities of larger movie chains.
For many residents who grew up in Brooklyn, the Kent represents a piece of local memory — a place where first dates, weekend matinees, after-school movies and independent film screenings formed part of daily life. Its survival stands in contrast to the closure of many historic neighborhood theaters, giving it a special place in the cultural fabric of the community.
A Story That Resonates
As audiences prepare to see Mama Vlada at the Kent, the location becomes more than a venue; it becomes a symbolic bridge between past and present.
Just as Vlada Von Shats transformed the Russian Samovar into a cultural home for her
community, the Kent Theater has persisted through decades of social and economic change,
continuing to offer shared experiences centered around storytelling and community.
“Mama Vlada is a portrait of courage, love and community,” Graypel said. “Vlada Von Shats has been a guiding force for so many — from artists and immigrants to LGBTQ+ youth. Her story needed to be shared, and I am honored to tell it.”
The documentary blends cinéma vérité moments with personal testimonies, focusing on human connections shaped within the walls of the Samovar. Graypel’s music — described by producers as an “aural tapestry” — brings emotional depth to every scene and underscores the film’s themes of resilience and humanity.
Von Shats herself is celebrated for her advocacy on behalf of marginalized communities and her role as a mentor and supporter of artists and youth. Her work has made the Samovar a haven of compassion, culture and connection, a legacy that Mama Vlada brings poignantly to life.
Mama Vlada runs Feb. 6–12 at the Kent Theater, 1170 Coney Island Ave., Brooklyn.
Tickets are available on Fandango.com and at the theater box office.
From Manhattan’s Legendary Russian Samovar to Big Screen: Mama Vlada Brings a NY Icon to Silver Screen (Jan. 21, 2026)