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On Nov. 5<\/a>, <\/strong>the lobby of the Michigan Theater buzzed with the mingling of Ann Arbor residents. Small bites from local eateries such as Miss Kim, Sava\u2019s and Jerusalem Garden were provided. Cups from Charles Woodson\u2019s Intercept Wines and TeaHaus were toasted. Even the famous Blasty<\/a>, the Michigan stormtrooper, wandered around, taking photos with delighted guests. During a night that could be described as unique to Ann Arbor, the crowd gathered to celebrate fellow Ann Arborite Trevor Zhou\u2019s film about their beloved hometown.\u00a0<\/p>\n For those unfamiliar, Zhou\u2019s debut film, aptly titled \u201cAnn Arbor,\u201d is a love letter to its namesake. Described during the event as a film about \u201chome, expectations, second chances and stepping into the person we\u2019re truly meant to be,\u201d <\/strong>the narrative revolves around Kendrick and Jane, a pair of old friends who reconnect with one another over the course of a single night in Ann Arbor. It must be noted that the film has yet to be shot: Filming is intended to begin in the spring. But this event was not merely to raise funds for the production \u2014 it was also to unite the community and celebrate the home that inspired the film.<\/p>\n Chrisstina Hamilton, Penny Stamps Speaker Series director, opened the evening by announcing that \u201cAnn Arbor\u201d would be the first film to be sponsored by Michigan Theater and Marquee Arts. Then, she introduced Zhou, talking about his actor-turned-filmmaker career and the accolades he has received for his short films. She followed this by playing Zhou\u2019s director\u2019s reel for the audience. One clip featured \u201cEndover,\u201d commonly known by the U-M community as \u201cthe cube,\u201d showing how Zhou has already been influenced by his hometown in his prior works. After the reel finished, she formally introduced Zhou on stage to a round of applause.<\/p>\n After a brief self-introduction, Zhou started the night by divulging the story of how \u201cAnn Arbor\u201d was envisioned. Upon moving to Hollywood to chase his dreams, the COVID-19 pandemic unfortunately struck and hindered Zhou\u2019s aspirations. As a coping mechanism and a way to \u201cvisit home,\u201d Zhou came up with the idea of \u201cAnn Arbor\u201d and subsequently completed a first draft of the screenplay.\u00a0<\/p>\n