Michigan Premiere of 'Meet Monica Velour' a Star-Studded Event

The stars came out in Birmingham Tuesday night to walk the red carpet at the for the premiere of the Michigan-made Meet Monica Velour.

The film, starring Kim Cattrall and Dustin Ingram, was produced by Farmington Hills native Gary Gilbert and filmed throughout Metro Detroit, including Livonia, Romulus and Dearborn. , a Farmington Hills-based nonprofit that provides services for those with developmental disabilities.

Dozens crowded the red carpet Tuesday night, as Cattrall, Ingram, Gilbert and writer and director Keith Bearden posed for photos as fans crowded the downstairs lobby of the Palladium. Included in the crowd was Amy Weber, director of Annabelle and Bear and winner of the 2011 Michigan Filmmaker of the Year, .

Rena Friedberg, JARC’s chief development officer, said the four had flown in only that afternoon and hadn’t had much time to explore Birmingham. However, Cattrall said having a small town premiere made the experience special.

“We had a extraordinary experience working here,” she said. “I’m glad that we could do this for Michigan.”

Though she wasn't sure how much they raised during the evening, JARC sold 270 tickets to the event, Friedberg said, a result the nonprofit is incredibly excited about. Rick Loewenstein, JARC’s CEO, introduced a short film on the nonprofit before the premiere, starring three Metro Detroit men JARC recently helped place in group homes. During the applause, the three men took a bow from their VIP seats.

After the film — the story of a teenager who meets his favorite porn star, now a struggling single mom — Cattrall, Ingram, Bearden and Gilbert answered questions from the audience, speaking about the process behind making a movie, filming in Michigan and the “sweet little story” behind Meet Monica Velour.

“It’s about being in love as a teenager. When you’re in love as a teenager, it’s so pure,” Bearden said. Meet Monica Velour is his first feature film.

For Birmingham resident Sharon Suess, the evening not only provided the opportunity to see a film premiere, it was an opportunity to see one of her favorite actresses in person.

“I’ve followed Kim Cattrall’s career for years and I was really excited she was here in Birmingham,” she said.

Meet Monica Velour opens at the this Friday.