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MARQUETTE -- Valley Road Productions will host the Marquette premiere of the short film "Here to Help" at 7 p.m. Eastern time Friday at the Thomas Theatres in Marquette.
Filmed in Michigamme, Marquette and Calumet, "Here to Help" is a lo-fi, sci-fi film set in a dystopian Upper Peninsula where Wilson, an isolated dweller, is assigned a humanoid AI by the local government to battle her loneliness -- but how far will it go to help?
The film was written and directed by Negaunee's Dan Aho, a Northern Michigan University alumnus who currently lives in Chicago. "Here to Help" also features NMU alumni and local actors such as Jessica "Red" Bays, a Channing native; Han Numinen; Thomas Laitinen; Kaitlyn Fronton; Jaime Weeder; and introduces Zya Taylor, an Ishpeming middle school student.
The premiere of "Here to Help" will also feature the newly re-edited "My Sister" and a previously released short titled "Favor" that was filmed in Los Angeles. Questions will be taken after the screening, when attendees can meet and chat with the local cast.
Tickets are $20, with advanced ticket purchases highly recommended since only limited seating is available. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/here-to-help-marquette-premiere-tickets-2001247898336.
Aho is an actor, writer and director with a background in theatre, standup comedy, improv and sketch comedy. His film and TV credits include "Contagion," "Man of Steel," "Moving On" and "Chicago Fire." He has acted with the likes of Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin. In addition to his acting duties, he also has a background in writing. Initially focusing on sitcom writing, he eventually found a passion for writing feature films.
This led him to writing and directing several shorts, including "My Sister" and "Here to Help" which were both filmed in Michigan. Aho has his eyes set on making more films in and about the Midwest, including a feature set in the Upper Peninsula called "Rust Belt Romance" and a noir set in Chicago titled "Phosphorus."