Vanessa Hudgens

plays a homeless

16-year-old in

Gimme Shelter.

Life On The Streets

Detroit native launches feature-film career as
co-producer of Gimme Shelter, about a homeless
teen's struggle for survival.

I

Suzanne Chessler

successful Wall Streeter.
When circumstances cannot be worked
out in the father's home, the shelter option
oshua Amir submitted a short
sets Apple on a path of self-examination
film into a festival and wound
and motivation for a better future.
up with contacts leading to work
"At the 2010 Los Angeles International
with Day 28 Films.
Short Film Festival, I saw Amexica, written
Amir, whose short was developed as
and directed by Ron Krauss, and met one
an honors project at the University of
of the producers!' Amir recalls.
Michigan, eventually became co-producer
"We shared similar artistic aspirations,
of Gimme Shelter, a full-length feature
and I contacted him later to find out about
developed by Day 28.
collaboration opportunities. I went to Los
The movie, about a pregnant
Angeles in 2011 and began work
teenager who finds refuge and
on Gimme Shelter, written and
hope in a facility for homeless
directed by Krauss.
women, opens Jan. 24 in the-
"The preproduction took
aters around the country.
place in California, and then
"What draws me to this
we went to New Jersey to film
film is the protagonist's abil-
at actual shelter locations using
ity to overcome tremendous
shelter mothers even though
hardship and demonstrate
the film is fictional. We wanted
resilience says Amir, 25, in
to elevate the authenticity and
a phone conversation from
honesty of the work"
California.
As co-producer, Amir has had
Co-produce r
"This is an amazing story
input into casting and crew deci-
Joshua Am it
that's based on an actual sys-
sions, logistics and budgeting.
tem of shelters around Newark, N.J., and
"There's no direct Jewish content,
the woman who founded the shelters. The
but there are aspects I believe emanate
woman devoted most of her life to creating from Judaism!' says Amir, who had his
housing and providing ways for compro-
bar mitzvah at Congregation Shaarey
mised individuals to find purpose:"
Zedek in Southfield and has studied at
The protagonist is 16-year-old Agnes
Congregation Beth Shalom in Oak Park.
"Apple" Bailey (Vanessa Hudgens), whose
"I see parallels to Jewish values in the
life with an abusive mother, June (Rosario
ways characters eventually show abilities
Dawson), impels the teen to find her bio-
to learn, grow and extend compassion, all
logical father, Tom (Brendan Fraser), a
championed throughout the film:'

Contributing Writer

j

Jews

tonic behind big acts
like Katy Perry and
co-wrote "Roar," a
Perry tune, also up
for Song of the Year.

Nate Bloom

Special to the Jewish News

Music Notes
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards will

be broadcast live at 8 p.m. Sunday,
Jan. 26, on CBS. The biggest-selling
categories are presented onstage.
Here, a handful of tribe-affiliated per-
formers/producers up for awards:
Drake, 27, Best Rap Performance
("Started at the Bottom"); Pink, 34,
Song of the Year ("Just Give Me a
Reason"); Bruno Mars, Song of the
Year ("Locked Out of Heaven.") Mars,
whose paternal grandma was Jewish
and who will headline the Super Bowl
halftime show on Feb. 2, co-wrote
"Locked" with Ari Levine, 30.
Last, but not least, is Luke
Gottwald, 40, aka Dr. Luke, a mega-
pop producer and songwriter. He's the

38

January 23 • 2014

JN

Scooter Braun,

32, best known for
discovering and man-
Dr. Luke
aging Justin Bieber,
just got engaged to
his girlfriend, Yael Cohen, 27, the CEO
of the nonprofit organization F**k
Cancer.
Israeli media sources report that
Justin Timberlake will play Tel Aviv on
May 28 and that Neil Young will per-
form in Tel Aviv on July 17.

Jews On Ice

Here's this season's National Hockey
League's Jewish player roundup, pre-
pared with the help of Jewish Sports

Amir's interest in films grew as he was
raised in Huntington Woods by parents
Laurie Dean-Amir, a clinical social worker,
and Shimon Amir, who does home remod-
eling.
Besides taking him to see movies, they
took him to museums and inspired him to
try painting. His mom, still in Huntington
Woods, is a docent at the Detroit Institute
of Arts, and his dad, in West Bloomfield,
pursues his own painting projects.
"In developing films, I am able to
employ the same formal aspects of paint-
ing, such as subject matter, composition,
lighting and framing!' explains Amir, who
has used his artistic talents to do cinema
story boards for movies being developed
by others.
"Film is a wonderful medium that pulls
from performance and music as well as
fine arts:'
Music was at the heart of the short
film The Saxophone Player, which Amir
showed during that Los Angeles festival.
"The film centered on an automotive
worker who had been laid off' explains
Amir, whose two bachelor's degrees have
focused on communication studies as well
as screen arts and cultures.
"Instead of trying to find a job that
offers steady employment, the man choos-
es to explore the arts.
"Performing jazz becomes his way
of finding contentment in the midst of
his difficult situation, and he develops a
relationship with other jazz musicians in

Review magazine: Mike Brown, 28,
right wing, San Jose Sharks; Michael
Cammalleri, 31, left wing, Calgary
Flames; Jeff Halpern, 37, center,
Phoenix Coyotes; Eric Nystrom, 30,

defenseman, Nashville Predators;

Trevor Smith, 28, left wing, Toronto
Maple Leafs; David Warshofsky, 23,
defenseman, Boston Bruins; Jason
Zucker, 22, left wing, Minnesota Wild.

Heads Up

The romantic comedy Don Jon was
released to DVD on Dec. 31. It stars
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 32, in the
title role (he also wrote and directed
the film) and co-stars Scarlett
Johansson, 29.
Gordon-Levitt also is the creator
of HitRecord, a collaborative artists
company that has been Web-based
until now. On Jan.18, the newish Pivot

Detroit!"
Amir, whose college curriculum mixed
artistic and business aspects of communi-
cations responsibilities, filmed the short in
Motown and used actual jazz musicians,
including Kris Johnson, Allan Barnes and
George Benson as actors. Johnson, who
plays the trumpet, wrote original music for
the production.
"Making that film was a wonderful
experience!' says Amir, now pursuing the
development of other feature projects.
Amir, who is single, graduated from
Berkley High School and was a teen vol-
unteer for Jewish organizations, including
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit,
Yad Ezra and JARC. His dad is from Israel,
and Amir has traveled there to visit with
family.
"I've become more observant in
California!' he says. "I am blessed to study
and become involved with various Jewish
communities in and around Los Angeles.
"I love learning in any sense of the word
and have an insatiable curiosity, both of
which exist in meeting new people and
making the most of every moment.
"I want to continue my work with films
that have content meaningful to audi-
ences, empowering them and inspiring
them, whether artistically, socially or psy-
chologically:"

❑

Gimme Shelter, rated PG-13, opens
Jan. 24 in area theaters.

cable channel premiered HitRecord on
TV, hosted by Gordon-Levitt.
HitRecord's thing is to combine
material from various artists to create
short multimedia films that "work."
The TV show features short films
(with different themes each week),
live conversations and performances.
To watch online, go to pivottv.com .
The actor's father is the CFO of
HitRecord. The young actor recently
said of his left-wing Jewish parents,
Jane Gordon and Dennis Levitt:
"I think they both
instilled into me the
feeling that we're
part of the world,
and that's important,
and that everybody's
well-being is tied into
each other. "

❑

Gordon-Levitt

Coutesy Roads ide Attractions

arts & entertainment