Sonny and Kathy were in Italy to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary and for the special screening of “An Open Door: Holocaust Haven in the Philippines,” Sonny’s award-winning film about the acceptance by the Philippines of more than a thousand Jewish refugees who were fleeing Nazi persecution in Europe before the outbreak of World War II. As a Filipino American documentary film maker and producer, he received international awards for this documentary film. Through his films, Sonny captured the Filipino perspective during WWII, worked relentlessly to shed light on a previously unknown episode about the Philippines open door policy, and spoke on broader issues of human rights, refugees and immigration. “Open Door” was co-produced with author Sharon Delmendo, and is the third in his trilogy of forgotten WWII stories. His other films were “Choc’late Soldiers from the USA” and “An Untold Triumph: The Story of the 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments U.S. Army.”
Sonny was an active member of the Filipino American community in Washington DC-Virginia-Maryland since the 1970s. He spent his early years researching WWII at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland, near his home. He was involved in projects advocating for minority communities and Asians, particularly Filipino Americans whose stories had yet to reach the mainstream American media. He traveled across four continents promoting “An Open Door” and educated a wider audience about refugee lives, connecting with descendants who found a new and welcome home in the Philippines.
Born in Tondo, Manila on December 16, 1946, just as the Philippines attained full independence, Sonny Izon later immigrated to the United States in 1967. He graduated with honors from the University of Maryland with a B.A. in English Literature. His career in creative and broadcast design and production encompassed more than 250 international films and videos, and 100 nationally televised programs produced mainly for PBS and National Geographic Television. He was recognized as one of the 100 most Influential Filipino Americans by TOFA in 2020. His film “Open Door” was awarded Best Picture at the Sochi International Film Festival in February 2018, and received Platinum Awards at the Java International Film Festival in March 2018. The film was also nominated for Best Documentary or Feature Film at festivals in Spain, Switzerland, France, and the Netherlands.
FilVetREP extends its deepest sympathies his wife, Kathryn and members of the family.
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR SONNY IZON
Sept. 14, 2024, Saturday, 3:00-5:00 PM
University of Maryland Chapel
7744 Regents Drive, College Park, MD.