Braddock Needed New Police Radios, So ‘Out of the Furnace’ Studio Wrote a $7,000 Check
Relativity Media gives back to the ‘gritty but vibrant’ co-star of its new film.
Photo by Harry Giglio
It takes quite a performance to steal the show from actors the caliber of Christian Bale and Woody Harrelson, but read any review of “Out of the Furnace” and it becomes clear that the real star of film is the town of Braddock. (Case in point: Producer Michael Ireland’s advice for shooting in Braddock? “Just turn the camera on.”)
In 2012, Relativity Media filmed in the Mon Valley, which provided a nice boost for the local economy. However, the studio quickly fell in love with Braddock and started to give back to the community directly. Upon hearing that the Braddock Police Department needed $7,000 to upgrade its radio system, the studio didn’t wait for the production money to trickle down. Relativity simply wrote a check on the spot, according to the Tribune-Review.
We profiled the tireless efforts of Mayor John Fetterman to resurrect the former steel-producing powerhouse in “Braddock Rising.” Fetterman’s hands-on approach has at times been controversial (this will happen when your mayor willingly chases down suspects he believes just fired an assault rifle in his neighborhood).
But it’s hard to argue with the results. The buzz surrounding Braddock’s resurgence is undeniable.
“I was very moved immediately,” co-star Zoe Saldana told Newsday. “The more you drove around, you felt the pulse — the town is still alive.”
Want to help? You can contribute to chef Kevin Sousa’s ambitious project to build a sustainable, community-run restaurant in the heart of the town. The Kickstarter campaign is currently at $39,000 of its $250,000 goal and has 27 days to go.
Watch This: 'Out of the Furnace' Trailer
#Spotted: Crosby heads downtown for Christmas tree
#Fun: Viral marketing we actually like
This magical bit of Christmas cheer comes from WestJet, a Canadian airline. If this was an American airline, the booth would open up to reveal a giant boxing glove, punching you in the face, repeatedly.
Also, how mad is that guy that just asked for a warm scarf? Brutal.
