39 Pounds of Love - a short film

December 9, 2005 5:40 AM

39 Pounds of Love "is the inspirational and humorous non-fiction account of Ami Ankilewitz, who was diagnosed with an extremely rare and often fatal form of SMA/2 that severely limits his physical growth and movement yet at 34 years of age, he continues to outlive a doctor's prediction of life expectancy by 28 years and counting. Ami, who weighs only 39 pounds, works in Israel as a 3D animator and creates his art despite the fact that his bodily motion is limited to a single finger on his left hand."
posted by Gyan (14 comments total)

Humans seriously need to develop brain implants, and soon.
posted by jeffburdges at 6:08 AM on December 9, 2005

I see stuff like this, about people like Ami, and then I think "What the hell right do I have to complain about my life?"

(And then of course two or three hours later I forget, and start complaining again.)
posted by caution live frogs at 6:19 AM on December 9, 2005

Roger Ebert, while holding nothing but respect for Mr. Ankilewitz, pans the film itself.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:30 AM on December 9, 2005

after reading the Ebert thing, what's cool about it is that his life isn't less dull than any of ours...his reality had to be "managed" like the Real World does. There's meaning in that (along with the guy in difficult circumstances overcoming obstacles and thriving despite not being expected to--which we've all seen before). I think there's a reason why things like "My Left Foot" are fictionalized.
posted by amberglow at 6:42 AM on December 9, 2005

Not knocking the guy either, but I don't really get the part about wanting to find the doctor who gave him six years to live so he could tell him he's wrong. They make it sound like the doctor was some kind of evil man who wanted him to die at six or something and that he needs to learn the errors of his ways... I'm guessing he just based his opinion on previous cases and would be happy to see this guy buck the medical expectations.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 6:53 AM on December 9, 2005

odd.
posted by shoepal at 7:11 AM on December 9, 2005

I don't think that "They make it sound like the doctor was some kind of evil man who wanted him to die at six or something," I think that he just wants to celebrate his existence by thumbing his nose at his supposed death sentence. Saying, "neener, neener" to that doctor seems like a healthy way of doing it.
posted by leftcoastbob at 7:13 AM on December 9, 2005

but I don't really get the part about wanting to find the doctor who gave him six years to live so he could tell him he's wrong.

Well it's a better doctor trackdown film premise than Twins.
posted by Peter H at 7:24 AM on December 9, 2005

Although not better than "Basket Case."
posted by GaelFC at 8:08 AM on December 9, 2005

I don't tell people how long they have to live, but if I did and I was wrong and they outlived it, I'd be delighted to hear of it.
posted by ikkyu2 at 9:29 AM on December 9, 2005

The guy's blog is off-putting in the same way Ebert describes the film -- too staged, not enough in the moment. It smacks of marketing, which of course it is, but I guess I expected more from a heartfelt indy film.
posted by brain_drain at 9:35 AM on December 9, 2005

Ami Ankilewitz's homepage.
posted by Joey Michaels at 10:49 AM on December 9, 2005

I give each of you a maximum of 100 years to live. Please report back after that period in the event of non-death. Until then, I don't want to hear from you.
posted by blue_beetle at 12:00 PM on December 9, 2005

As a new father of (so far, knocking on wood) normal, healthy twins -- and as a guy who has always had a complex about being way too thin for his height -- just looking at a picture of this man gives me a lot to think about.
posted by davejay at 12:46 PM on December 9, 2005