Filmmaker Lane Wyrick to be at Des Moines Screening This Sunday

This Sunday night (November 1), Filmmaker Lane Wyrick will make a special appearance at the 7:30 p.m. screening of "A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" at the Fleur Cinema & Cafe (4545 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, Iowa).

He will give insight into the documentary and host a Q&A after the screening. Also, DVDs will be available at a reduced price after this specific screening.

The award-winning documentary is currently playing for a week long theatrical run now through Thursday November 5. This is your chance to see "A Friend Indeed" in a very classy independent theater where, after a successful recent showing at The Fleur it was invited back for a full week of screenings.

Showtimes are as follows:

Friday/Monday through Thursday: 4:45, 7:30, 9:35

Saturday & Sunday: 1:50, 4:45, 7:30, 9:35 (Filmmaker Presentation)

Tickets are just $8 for General Admission

(Matinees, Seniors & Children are $6) and are available at

the door.

For more information, visit: http://www.fleurcinema.com

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Barry Morrow Donates Emmy to Univ. of Iowa

On Friday October 30, Barry Morrow gave a special presentation to the University of Iowa Foundation Board Members and guests where he donated his Emmy Award that he received for his screenplay for the 1981 made-for-tv movie "Bill" (starring Mickey Rooney & Dennis Quaid) to the University of Iowa where it will be on permanent display.

Barry Morrow donates Emmy for "Bill" TV Movie to Univ. of Iowa

In his rousing speech he also enthusiastically related how "A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" now tells the real life documentary story that he originally started in 1972 when he first met Bill. Other people from the documentary at this special event were Bev Morrow, Filmmaker Lane Wyrick, Tom Walz, & Darrell Wyrick.

A video of Barry Morrow's incredible speech will be posted soon.

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For more information about Bill Sackter and “A Friend Indeed” and for reviews and video clips, please visit http://www.BillSackter.com.

Inspiring Documentary Returns to Des Moines

“A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" Returns For Full Week To Fleur Cinema – Des Moines, Iowa

After a very successful recent screening, the inspiring feature-length documentary “A Friend Indeed – The Bill Sackter Story” is returning to The Fleur Cinema & Café for a full week long theatrical run starting this Friday October 30 through November 5.

Winner of the #1 Audience Favorite Award at five film festivals in a row, “A Friend Indeed” has been surprising and delighting viewers with its powerful story of human compassion and incredible range of heartfelt emotion.

The documentary tells the true story of Bill Sackter who was institutionalized for over four decades for mild mental retardation, and his friendship with Barry Morrow (Academy Award Winning Screenwriter for “Rain Man”) who in real life as a young college student took the unprecedented step of becoming Bill’s legal guardian to keep Bill from being sent back to the institution.

Their friendship, Bill’s positive outlook on life and his eventual rise to international fame was chronicled in the highly successful made-for-tv movie “Bill” (1981) starring Mickey Rooney and Dennis Quaid, and Morrow’s screenplay for the production also won him an Emmy Award.

But Barry Morrow’s original intention of creating a real life documentary about Bill Sackter (using the hours of film and video footage and hundreds of photographs he captured of Bill during his life) would have to wait for over two decades until Barry met Iowa filmmaker Lane Wyrick and entrusted him to complete this project that was so dear to his heart.

Wyrick spent the next 8 years editing the archival footage along with filming new interviews of Barry Morrow and many others who were close to Bill. He also closely collaborated with Hollywood-trained composer Peter Bloesch who created a very rich and emotional full orchestral music score for the production.

“A Friend Indeed – The Bill Sackter Story” has been praised for retaining its documentary authenticity while having an entertaining quality more akin to a Hollywood movie. Wyrick’s groundbreaking hybrid style is very unique, and the film is filled with lots of humor and is ultimately very inspiring, but a box of Kleenex is also highly recommended!

Don’t miss your chance to see firsthand why “A Friend Indeed – The Bill Sackter Story” is becoming the grassroots hit for moviegoers looking for a very positive, inspirational experience that will touch their hearts, and that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Even if you have never heard of Bill Sackter, by the end of this film you will know and care for him like a close friend!

“A Friend Indeed – The Bill Sackter Story”

LOCATION: The Fleur Cinema & Café, 4545 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, Iowa

Screening October 30 Through November 5

For showtimes, visit: http://www.fleurcinema.com

Tickets are just $8 for General Admission (Matinees, Seniors & Children are $6) and are available at the door.

For more information about Bill Sackter and “A Friend Indeed” and for reviews and video clips, please visit http://www.BillSackter.com.

"A Friend Indeed" to screen at City High School This Thursday

Winner of the #1 Audience Favorite Award at five film festivals in a row, an inspiring new documentary will have a special screening at City High School's Opstad Auditorium on Thursday October 22 at 7 p.m. "A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" was created by award-winning filmmaker Lane Wyrick (a 1985 City High Grad). He will introduce the screening and host a Q&A and Filmmaker Presentation afterwards.

"A Friend Indeed" is an amazing and entertaining real-life documentary about people and events that happened right here in Iowa City!!! Tickets to the event are just $8 and are available at the door.

This special screening is sponsored by City High's Drama Department who will benefit from every ticket sold.

If you are on Facebook, please let us know if you're coming and help by inviting all your Facebook friends by going here: http://www.facebook.com/BillSackter#/event.php?eid=150721442809&index=1

The Background:

In 1981, actor Mickey Rooney portrayed Bill Sackter's life in the highly successful television drama "Bill", which depicted Bill's unique relationship with young college student Barry Morrow (played by Dennis Quaid). Their friendship developed shortly after Bill's release from Faribault Institution in Minnesota where he had spent 44 years of his life for mild mental retardation. Barry's compassion for Bill and deep concern for his situation led him to taking the unprecedented step of becoming Bill's legal guardian to keep Bill from being sent back to the institution.

This new documentary "A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" gives viewers the opportunity to know the real Bill Sackter, Barry Morrow and many others who were close to Bill, in an entertaining production full of heart and emotion. The 90-minute feature length production uses actual film and video footage and photos of Bill (captured in the 1970's and 80's by Barry Morrow and others), along with interviews with the people closest to Bill, filmed more recently by Wyrick, who also edited the production.

During the final years of Bill's life, his positive attitude, passion for the harmonica, and enthusiastic embrace of everyone he met began to get Bill noticed. As proprietor of "Wild Bill's Coffee Shop" on the University of Iowa campus in Iowa City, Bill's striking personality led to his rise as a local "celebrity", and eventually to his becoming a national leader in a movement that helped normalize peoples' reactions to people with disabilities. He was honored with many awards and was even invited as a guest at the White House, all the while retaining his humble and caring personality and love for all people, especially children.

A Groundbreaking Documentary:

"A Friend Indeed" is filled with lots of emotion, evoking laughter, tears, and ultimately leaving audiences with a feeling of real inspiration. And it shows how a little care and attention can truly transform someone's life and enrich us all. The emotion of the film is greatly enhanced by the full orchestral music score created by Hollywood-trained composer Peter Bloesch who closely collaborated with Wyrick throughout the production to interweave the rich music score seamlessly into the fabric of the story.

At every screening "A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" has been enjoyed by moviegoers that are looking for a very positive, inspirational experience that will touch their hearts.

For complete details, please visit http://www.BillSackter.com/Upcoming_Screenings.html

Join us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/BillSackter

Location: City High School's Opstad Auditorium - 1900 Morningside Drive - Iowa City, Iowa

Chicago Premiere of "A Friend Indeed" THIS WEDNESDAY

Don't miss the Chicago Premiere of "A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story"at The Music Box Theater THIS WEDNESDAY October 14 at 7 p.m.

The event will be introduced by Kathy Lavin, director of community relations at Neumann Family Services in Chicago, who is also a mother of a child with a disability. Filmmaker Lane Wyrick will then introduce the film and afterwards give a Q&A/Filmmaker Presentation offering his perspective of over 7 years of research into Bill Sackter's life as well as a behind the scenes look at the documentary.

Also, the Deluxe Edition DVDs will be available after the screening at a reduced price as a benefit to those that come to the theater to see this very inspiring film.

Tickets are just $8 and are available online or at the door at the Music Box Theater - 3733 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago, Illinois - http://www.musicboxtheatre.com/events/

For online tickets go here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/84842

For further details, visit: http://www.billsackter.com/Upcoming_Screenings.html

Here is a wonderful article about the Chicago screening by Medill Reports:

http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=141649

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More upcoming screenings include:

Doctoberfest Documentary Festival - Gloucester, Mass. - October 14, 15, 23

Yes Cinema - Columbus, Indiana - October 19

The Flicks Theater - Boise, Idaho - October 21

City High School - Iowa City, Iowa - October 22

Western Illinois University - Macomb, Illinois - October 24

Vermont International Film Festival - Burlington, Vermont - October 23, 25, 28

The Fleur Cinema - Des Moines, Iowa - October 30 through Nov. 5 (Weeklong screening)

Cedar Lee Theater - Cleveland Heights, Ohio - November 3

St. John Lutheran Church - Newhall, Iowa - November 8

Auburn Public Theater - Auburn, New York - November 22

More dates to come soon...

To learn more about Upcoming Screenings visit the BillSackter.com website at: http://www.billsackter.com/Upcoming_Screenings.html