SHAKE WITH ME

A DOCUMENTARY FILM

BY ZACK GRANT

WATCH ON VIMEO

TRAILER

DEBRA MAGID ARTWORK

OFFICIAL Trailer:

ABOUT THE FILM:

Debra Magid is an artist and designer who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD) in 2012. In the fall of 2016, Debra agreed to let her son, Zack Grant, document on film the relationship between her art and her condition. What started as an exploration of Debra's growth as an artist in the face of Parkinson's disease grew into a larger story of creativity, health, family and the will to cope.

Spanning two years of filming, Shake With Me takes viewers on an emotional and physical journey through the many facets of Debra's day to day life. Time and the unfolding realities of a degenerative disease dictate her constantly evolving views on her diagnosis.

Whether Debra is creating art in her studio, taking a boxing class specifically for PD patients, or talking about how PD has impacted her friends and family, Shake With Me presents a truly raw and honest look at what it's like to live, endure and succeed despite a life changing diagnosis and a future that is entirely unknown.

ABOUT THE SUBJECT:

Debra Magid, a Rhode Island School of Design graduate, spent more than 35 years as an industrial designer before rediscovering her fine arts roots and the love of making art.

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2012, Debra approaches her art with a passion and urgency that only an uncertain future can create. Her artwork is a joyful exploration at the intersection of the human form, intense color and movement. Experimenting with scale, texture and composition in pastel, watercolor and acrylic, her work now focuses on how the basic human form - and particularly the face - can be interpreted and rendered to be both real and imaginary.

Debra’s artwork is owned in several private collections in addition to having been shown in galleries in New York City, the Greater Tri-State area, and South Korea.

You can view all of Debra’s work HERE.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:

Zack Grant is a New York City based filmmaker. He directs and produces short films, commercials and branded content, and was recently named to SHOOT Magazine’s 2019 New Directors Showcase. Zack has worked at some of the most creative advertising agencies in the world, creating award winning films, television commercials, PSAs and interactive work.

A graduate of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Zack has always made time outside of work for his own personal projects. Shake With Me is Zack's most ambitious project to date, and one he hopes will lead to further directorial opportunities.

You can find all of Zack's work HERE.

ABOUT PARKINSON'S DISEASE:

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a chronic, degenerative neurological disorder that affects one in 100 people over age 60. While the average age at onset is 60, some people are diagnosed at 40 or younger. Estimates of the number of people living with the disease vary, but recent research indicates that at least one million people in the United States, and more than five million worldwide, have Parkinson's Disease.

Currently, there is no known cure for PD.

Parkinson's Disease symptoms manifest differently in different patients. People are generally most familiar with the motor symptoms of PD, since they are the most externally noticeable. These symptoms, which are also called the "cardinal" symptoms of PD, are resting tremor, slowness of movement. balance problems and rigidity. Some other physical symptoms such as gait problems and reduced facial expression are also of note. Many patients experience some symptoms and not others, and even the pace at which the disease worsens varies from person to person.

For more information about PD please visit:

UNDERSTANDING PARKINSON'S DISEASE

To directly support Parkinson's Disease research:

DONATE TO THE MICHAEL J. FOX FOUNDATION