The Movie

Set for release in May 2025 during the 80th anniversary celebration of European Liberation Day, Old Heart has wrapped filming in Michigan and the Netherlands. The film, now in postproduction, is directed by Kirk Wahamaki and Leslye Witt. It premieres in America in May 2025 honoring the 80th anniversary of European Liberation. The film opens in the Netherlands in September.

You can see the film’s trailer here.

Adapted from Peter Ferry’s award winning novel, Old Heart tells the story of Tom Johnson, an American soldier who is part of the Allied liberation of the Southern Netherlands in the fall of 1944. He works with Jewish translator, Sarah van Praag, to smuggle food and supplies to starving residents of northern cities trapped behind Nazi lines. They also fall in love.

Sixty years later, in the summer of 2005, Tom foils his family’s plan to move him to an assisted living facility by taking a flight to the Netherlands. He is determined to find Sarah again, the love of his life. 

Old Heart will screen at theaters, museums, festivals, universities, performing arts centers, libraries and conference across the United States, in many Dutch cities, Belgium and Canada. See below for a complete schedule of events which will be updated in the coming months.

The Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944-45, is central to this screenplay which has won eight best feature film awards at festivals in America and abroad. This movie is the Michigan production team’s fourth release, building on the successes of Waterwalk, Pilot Error and Coming Up For Air which have won a dozen best feature awards at international festivals. The Old Heart script has won seven best feature film screenplay festival honors.

For details on supporting the production please contact Producer Roger Rapoport rogerdrapoport@me.com, call (231) 720-0930 or visit https://heartland-iff.org/how-to-donate

Old Heart 2025 Premiere Dates

OLD HEART SCREENINGS AND VIP EVENTS 2025

Set for release in May 2025 during the 80th anniversary celebration of European Liberation Day, Old Heart plays across America and in the Netherlands.

February 24 - Norton Shores District Library - 6 p.m. Behind The Scenes On The Old Heart Set with Co-Director Kirk Wahamaki Kirk Wahamaki, Codirector (with Leslye Witt) of the made-in-West-Michigan feature film Old Heart, will share the behind the scenes story of this feature film.  He’ll offer an overview of the filmmaking process from script to screen. He’ll also discuss where the film was shot and the acting team. Cast members and the producer will join him.

May 3 - Sneak Preview Park Slope Library Brooklyn, New York - 2 p.m. Roger Rapoport will be joined by several producers. Reservations highly recommended for this sneak preview.

May 14- Ludington Arts Center, Ludington, Michigan, 2 p.m. screening with stars, producer and a World War 2 historians. A free poster is included with admission. The book Old Heart will be on sale.

May 15 - Ludington Arts Center, Ludington, Michigan, 6 p.m. screening with stars, producer and a World War 2 historians. A free poster is included with admission. The book Old Heart will be on sale.

May 17: Redford Theater, Detroit with stars, directors, and a United States Senator to be announced. Special VIP event precedes this screening with stars and production team meet and greet, dessert and a poster. Dearborn and Detroit actors Edward Gaines and Roosevelt Johnson will be join by their costars, director and producer. Tickets are available for the 6 p.m. VIP event that precedes the 8 p.m. screening. 

May 18: VIP Event With Muskegon Museum of History and Science , 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. with stars, director and a presentation by former director of Michigan Department of Veterans Affair Zaneta Adams.  Drinks, light refreshment, a tour of the Home Front Heroes World War 2 exhibit and autographed poster at included. Tickets for the June 1 Mona Shore premiere at 3 p.m. are included with this VIP event that includes excerpts from the film.

May 22: Garden Theater, Frankfort, Michigan. Stars and producer will be on hand. A special VIP reception is being planned for this event.

May 31: State Theater, South Haven, Michigan 1 p.m. screening with stars and producer.

June 1: Muskegon Area Premiere at Mona Shores High School 3 p.m. with stars, director and a free poster. Zaneta Adams, who has a key role in the film, will make a presentation. She will join by cast and crew.

June 19-26 Marina Del Rey Film Festival Sherman Oaks, California. Regal Sherman Oaks Galleria 15301 Ventura Blvd, Date and Time TBA

June 25: The Association for the Advancement of Dutch American Studies bi-annual national conference, Schaap Auditorium, Hope College, Holland Michigan, 6:30 p.m. Stars and the producer will be present. Open to the Public.

June 26: The Association for the Advancement of Dutch American Studies bi-annual national conference, Schaap Auditorium, Hope College, Holland Michigan. Stars and the producer will be present for a 3 p.m. screening. Open to the Public.

June 29: Dogwood Center, Fremont, Michigan featuring a post screening conversation with Fremont actress Martha Kallenbach and director Kirk Wahamaki.

September 20: Theater De Schalm, Veldhoven., Netherlands with lead actors Edward Gaines, Eva Doueiri, producer/screenwriter Roger Rapoport, historian/author Robert Catsburg and Sebastiaan Volk of blackliberators.nl. Tickets for the 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. showings are here. Veldhoven is the setting for much of Old Heart.

Leiden, Netherlands at Kijkhuis Leiden  in association with Studium Generale Universiteit Leiden. Late September date will be announced soon. Lead cast and crew including Detroit’s Edward Gaines, Amsterdam’s Eva Doueiri, producer/screenwriter Roger Rapoport will join a panel with Dutch historians. We thank Mieke Kierkels for making this event possible

Many more dates will be added soon in America and the Netherlands. The film will be shown in Chicago, Indianapolis, Los Angeles,Washington D.C. and Michigan communities including Grand Rapids, Grand Haven, Kalamazoo, Ludington, Covert and Coldwater To schedule an event please contact us at (231) 720-0930.

For enquires about booking the film for an event or showing, please contact Producer Roger Rapoport at rogerdrapoport@me.com