39 Pounds of Love (2005)

Director:

Dani Menkin

Writers:

Ilan Heitner (co-writer)
Dani Menkin (writer)

Release Date:

8 April 2005 (Israel)

Genre:

Documentary | Biography | Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

At birth he was given 6 years to live... at 34, he takes the journey of a lifetime.

Plot:

This is the story of Ami, a man who while unable to move any part of his body, still manages to move each and every one of us, as he teaches us a part of life's intimate dance.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Thirty Something | Male Female Relationship | Courage | Cross Country

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Ami Ankilewitz

...

Himself

Directed by
Dani Menkin

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ilan Heitner		co-writer
Dani Menkin		writer

Produced by
Asfur	....	senior producer
Daniel J. Chalfen	....	producer
Kim Fishman	....	associate producer
David Gil	....	executive producer
Ilan Heitner	....	co-producer
Hilla Manor	....	associate producer
John Matlick	....	executive producer
Hilla Medalia	....	senior producer
Dani Menkin	....	producer
Randy Paul	....	associate producer
Ed Priddy	....	executive producer
John Priddy	....	executive producer
Lynn Roth	....	executive producer
Marek Rozenbaum	....	producer: Israel
Katie Schulz	....	assistant producer

Original Music by
Chris Gubisch

Cinematography by
Yoav Kleinman

Film Editing by
Geof Bartz
Sam Bauer
Geoffrey O'Brien
Paul Petschek

Production Management
Eran B.Y.	....	production manager
Hilla Manor	....	post-production manager

Art Department
Mikhail Mazor	....	graphic designer

Sound Department
Skip Adams	....	sound re-recording mixer
Moti Hefetz	....	sound recordist
Robert Hoehn	....	sound designer
Robert Hoehn	....	sound mixer

Visual Effects by
Ami Ankilewitz	....	animation and video effects
Ami Ankilewitz	....	animaton supervisor

Animation Department
Ami Ankilewitz	....	animator

Editorial Department
Jim Finn	....	negative supervisor
Richard Haylock	....	digital intermediate technician
Jim Hession	....	assistant editor
Matt Woo	....	digital intermediate technician

Music Department
Marcus Barone	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Winston Emano	....	publicist
David Magdael	....	publicist
Shannon Molloy	....	production assistant
Brandon Torres	....	production assistant
Justin Warren	....	production assistant
Anne Stulz	....	publicist (uncredited)

Thanks
David Japka	....	special thanks
John C. McDonnell	....	thanks

Production Companies

• HBO/Cinemax Documentary
• Hey Jude Productions
• Priddy Brothers Entertainment

Distributors

• Goldcrest Films International (2006) (worldwide) (all media)
• Balcony Releasing (2005) (USA) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Goldcrest Post Production London  ADR
• Goldcrest Post Production London  audio mixing
• Goldcrest Post Production London  foley
• Goldcrest Post Production London  on-line editing

Runtime:

70 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew | Spanish

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:PG | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Dallas, Texas, USA

Company:

HBO/Cinemax Documentary

Trivia:

Dani Menkin first saw Ami in a Tel Aviv bar, and was instantly drawn to him. Arranging to meet Ami at his home some days later, Dani began a friendship with Ami that would eventually lead to making the film.

Why does he have to see the doctor?

What's written on the poster is: "At birth he was given 6 years to live... At 34 he takes the journey of a lifetime." Ami is an American-born Israeli who was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy disease at the age of one. At age of 34, after the love toward his 22 years old care-giver didn't go well, he decided to come to the US to face the doctor who said that he would have only 6 years to live. He wanted to show the doctor that he is still alive, and weights 39 pounds. Why? Your guess is as good as mine, even I have seen this film.

Obviously it's courageous to live when all he can move is his left index finger, but why does he have so much anger toward the doctor who diagnosed his disease 34 years ago? His doctor just told his mom that based on the medical history, people with his disease won't live long. What's the point of him showing up at old doctor's door for? Why is tracking down this old doctor in the US is a journey of his lifetime? There are so many things we might be interested in Ami's life: how can he make those animations with the movement of only one finger? How can he go through daily lives while totally depending on others? How did he out lived his doctor's prediction? How does he deal emotionally when other people look at him like looking at a strange creature? The movie told us none of that. Instead, the filmmaker got a van and set up a trip to let Ami to show up at his old doctor's door in order to show him that he is still alive. I thought it was a joke.