Jashandeep Singh
The filming of the upcoming drama film ‘Martyr of Gowanus’ has begun in Brooklyn and Syracuse, New York. The film stars Steven Spielberg’s son Sawyer Spielberg in the lead and follows “a Brooklyn man struggling with loneliness and rejection during the months before and after 9/11. The protagonist, Gavin, yearns for meaning in his life but is on a path of spiritual radicalization and self-destruction. Only when he meets a troubled teenage boy, and his sister, does Gavin choose to think – and act – beyond himself. Gavin is not a gung-ho patriot, nor is he someone trying to save the world. He’s an average guy, devastated by the attacks of 9/11, who wants to do something extraordinary,” as per the official logline.
The shoot of the indie film began in Syracuse in June. The production team has utilized several sites across the city as filming locations, including The Penny Pub at 321 West Fayette Street, and the Bike Loft store at 717 South Bay Rd. As per reports, half of the film is going to be shot in Syracuse, while the other half is set to be filmed in Brooklyn. Syracuse has previously hosted the filming of ‘The Night House,’ ‘On the Count of Three,’ ‘Big Time Adolescence,’ and ‘The Binge.’ On the other hand, Brooklyn has served as a filming location for ‘The Departed,’ ‘Boardwalk Empire,’ ‘Margin Call,’ ‘Bridge of Spies,’ and ‘Sophie’s Choice.’
‘Martyr of Gowanus’ is helmed by Brian Meere, known for his work on several television shows and documentaries, including ‘Mysteries at the Museum,’ ‘Kindred Spirits,’ ‘Roman Empire,’ ‘American Dynasty,’ ‘The Men Who Built America: Frontiersmen,’ and ‘America Unearthed.’ The director, who is making his feature debut with the film, revealed that he was greatly impacted by the 9/11 attacks, which prompted him to write the script. Meere added that for several months after the attacks, he kept imagining himself being in the planes or the buildings and doing something heroic to help the victims.
The film stars Sawyer Spielberg in the role of Gavin. The actor previously appeared in small roles in the films ‘Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You,’ and ‘The Post,’ before landing the lead role in the 2020 horror film ‘Honeydew.’ Sawyer has also worked as a crew member on his father’s 2008 hit ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.’ The rest of the cast includes Adam Cropper (‘Tenet’ and ‘Love & Death’) and Liam Obergfoll (‘Every Witch Way’ and ‘Talia in the Kitchen’). Brian Meere, who launched a Kickstarter campaign in July 2022 to raise funds for ‘Martyr of Gowanus,’ says that the film will likely hit the festival circuit early next year. The film is produced by Lorry Werner, with John Bertrand serving as the executive producer.
