39 POUNDS OF LOVE
39 POUNDS OF LOVE is the inspirational and humorous story of Ami Ankilewitz, a 3-D animator in Israel whose bodily motion is limited to a single finger on his left hand.
At birth, Ami was diagnosed with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, later diagnosed as Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), and was predicted to survive only to the age of 6. Now, thirty years later, he leaves the woman he loves and returns to the United States to confront the childhood doctor who predicted his early demise. Along the way, he comes to terms with a major incident from his past and pursues a lifelong dream: to ride a Harley Davidson.
39 POUNDS OF LOVE is an emotional roller coaster, a fascinating, humorous and truly inspirational ride through life with someone who embodies the very term, carpe diem (Seize the day).
Jeanette Catsoulis, NY TIMES
"39 Pounds of Love" presents a bracingly honest, yet poetic portrait of a man refusing to be defined by the limitations of his body."
Kim Voynar, CINEMATICAL
"I think the most likely scenario for the five Oscar noms looks like this: March of the Penguins; Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room; Favela Rising; 39 Pounds of Love; and After Innocence."
Todd Schwartz, CBS RADIO
"Sorry, Penguins - THIS is the best documentary of the year..."
Wesley Morris, THE BOSTON GLOBE
"If you leave this film unmoved, you probably aren't human."
Ana Maria Montero, CNN
"I had a REALLY, REALLY bad day yesterday but, after viewing the film for the second time, I got emotional and asked myself, 'Oh my God, what am I complaining about?!' This film is special."
Phil Hall, FILM THREAT
"As far as I am concerned, Ami Ankilewitz is the movie star of the year."
Festivals:
Jerusalem International Film Festival - July 2005
Hot Springs International Documentary Film Festival - September 2005
Mill Valey International Film Festival - October 2005
Boston Jewish Film Festival - November 2005
Washington Jewish Film Festival - December 2005
Palm Springs International Film Festival - January 2006
Austin Jewish Film Festival - January 2006
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival - January 2006
Sedona International Film Festival - February 2006
Israeli Film Festival, NY - March 2006
Delray Beach International Film Festival - March 2006
Thesaloniki Documentary FF - March 2006
Tiburon International Film Festival - March 2006
Seattle Jewish Film Festival - March 2006
New Jersey Jewish Film Festival - April 2006
Rockland Jewish Film Festival - April 2006
Vancouver Jewish Film Festival - April 2006
Pittsburgh Jewish and Israeli Film Festival - April 2006
Toronto Jewish Film Festival - May 2006
Teluride Mountain Film Festival - May 2006
Nevada Jewish Film Festival, 2006
Katz Jewish Community Center Film Festival, 2006
Grand Rapids Jewish Film Festival, 2006
Dayton Jewish Film Festival, 2006
Kosmorama Trondheim IFF, 2006
American Friends of Beit Issie Shapiro (AFOBIS), 2006
Cincinnati Jewish Film Festival, 2006
Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival, 2006
Singapore Israeli FF, 2006
San Jose Jewish Film Festival, 2006
All About Developmental Disabilities Film Festival (AADD), 2006
Las Vegas JCEMA Film Festival, 2006
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, 2006
Embassy of Israel in Ottawa
Desert JFF, September 2006
Las Vegas Celebration of Jewish Film, November 2006
São Paulo Jewish Film Festival, 2006
Mountain Film Festival, 2006
Rialto Cinemas Lakeside Film Festival, 2006
Israeli Film Festival of Philadelphia, 2006
Jewish Federation of Pensacola, FL, 2006
Florida State University Film Festival, 2006
Hillel at the University of Florida, 2006
JCC of Greater Washington, 2006
Copia Film Festival, 2006
Contra Costa Jewish Film Festival, 2006
Appreciating Diversity Film Committee Film Festival, 2006
Martin J Gottlieb Day School Film Festival, 2006
Shake-A-Leg Miami Film Festival, 2006
JNF Film Festival, 2006
Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival, 2006
Laurie Grant Film Festival, 2006
Hillel at the University of Arizona Film Festival, 2006
Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival, 2006
Temple Emanuel of Tempe Film Festival, 2006
Salt Lake City Film Center Festival, 2006
Hillel of Richard Stockton College of NJ Film Festival, 2006
Pittsburgh Jung Society Film Festival, 2006
Disability Studies Film Festival, 2006
Santa Fe Film Center Festival, 2006
Flanzer JCC Film Festival, 2006
92nd Street Y Film Festival, 2006
MassBay Film Festival, September 2006
Allentown JCC Film Festival, November 2006
Rhode Island Jewish Film Festival, November 2006
Sitka Film Society Film Festival, November 2006
Kane St. Synagogue Film Festival, November 2006
Park Avenue Synagogue Film Festival, November 2006
Hillel of Sara Laurance College Film Festival, November 2006
HLHL Inc. Film Festival, December 2006
Hartford Jewish Film Festival, 2006
Flanzer JCC Film Festival, December 2006
JCC of Staten Island Film Festival, January 2007
Flanzer JCC Film Festival, February 2007
Aitz Hayim Center for Jewish Living Film Festival, March 2007
Russian American Arts Film Festival, May 2007
Berkshire Jewish Film Festival, May 2007
McGill Program in Whole Person Care Film Festival, May 2007
HLHL Inc. Film Festival, June 2007
Mount Shasta Independent Film Festival, October 2007
Schenectady Jewish Community Center Film Festival, November 2007
McGill University Film Festival, November 2007
Disability Art and Culture Project Film Festival, May 2007
Mexico Jewish Film Festival, October 2008
Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven Film Festival, January 2008
Charlotte Jewish Film Festival, March 2008
Webster University Film Festival, September 2008
Tony Felzen Film Festival, April 2009
Awards:
Best Documentary, Israeli Academy Awards 2005
Audience Award, Atlanta Jewish Film Festival 2006
Audience Award, Seattle Jewish Film Festival 2006
California Media Access Award 2006