Video from Bill Sackter's 100th Birthday Celebration

Here's some video of Bill's 100th Birthday Celebration, captured on my iPhone. It was nice to have Barry & Bev Morrow, Jack Doepke, Tom Walz and others reminisce about the impact Bill had, and tell some funny stories as well. Lots of cake, music, and more. 

Enjoy!!! - Lane Wyrick

Click here to see the video on Youtube

Bill Sackter 100th Birthday Celebration (Youtube) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV0EATO_qzA

Video taken at Bill Sackter's 100th Birthday Celebration in Iowa City. Enjoy the stories and fond remembrances of Bill Sackter, and how he changed the way the world looks at people with disabilities. Featured in the documentary "A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story", the main cast joined in Iowa City for the celebration, including Barry & Bev Morrow, Jack Doepke, Tom Walz, and Lane Wyrick.

Friday April 12, 2013 a panel discussion at Pappajohn Business Building, and party afterwards at Wild Bill's Coffee Shop in North Hall. Saturday April 13 on Bill's actual birthday, events took place at Uptown Bill's, with harmonicas, cake, bands and more.

Learn more about the real story of Bill Sackter at

http://www.BillSackter.com

Join our Facebook fan page at

http://www.Facebook.com/BillSackter

Or buy the DVD of "A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" at

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C6WURF8

Bring "A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" to your City

Hi Fans of "A Friend Indeed",

I wanted to update you about the innovative new distribution model for "A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" allowing you to easily "Bring A Friend Indeed To Your City" and share this inspirational production with the rest of your community, while at the same time making a profit for yourself or your organization through these screenings.

Click Here to view the trailer for "A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" (3 min.)

The concept is called the "Screen It Yourself Package" and it was developed when it was noticed that a consistently high percentage of audience members were purchasing "A Friend Indeed" DVDs that were being made available after every screening. For instance, immediately following a recent Minneapolis screening with an audience of 500 people of all ages and backgrounds, nearly 200 DVDs were sold! At smaller venues with around 50 audience members, viewers will typically purchase 20-30 DVDs!

You may also host a Filmmaker Presentation and Screening and have Filmmaker Lane Wyrick come to your location for a first-class event. 

For more information, visit

http://www.BillSackter.com/Bring_A-Friend-Indeed_To_Your_City.html

Notes: With the "Screen It Yourself Package", all screenings and DVD sales must be within your same county. - Internet sales of the DVDs are strictly prohibited. For a full explanation, please call Lane Wyrick at 1-314-200-5534.

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

“A Friend Indeed” Gaining Momentum

Here are highlights of the many new things that have happened with “A Friend Indeed – The Bill Sackter Story” since the last blog update in late January (see details below).

1) Voted #1 Audience Favorite In 2 More Festivals!

2) The Home Use DVD Is Nearly Complete

3) Bill Sackter Day Screening This Monday
4) Arc of US to Publish Nat'l Article about Documentary
5) New Video Clips on BillSackter.com Website
6) Photo of Bill’s Father, Sam Sackter, Discovered
7) Now You Can Bring “A Friend Indeed” To Your Town
8) Major Screening Event in Minneapolis on June 8

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Voted #1 Audience Favorite At Two More Festivals

In late February, “A Friend Indeed – The Bill Sackter Story” was screened in the Omaha Film Festival which was held in a brand new theater complex – The Great Escape Theaters – in Omaha, Nebraska.

"A Friend Indeed" voted #1 Audience Favorite
at the Omaha Film Festival

Drawing a wide audience for both screenings, from avid festival-goers to families with people with disabilities, “A Friend Indeed” was voted the “#1 Audience Favorite” of the Omaha Film Festival, and as part of the prize was given a third screening immediately following the awards ceremony.

Then in early April, “A Friend Indeed” was voted the “#1 Audience Favorite” and won “Best Documentary” in the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival. This festival, featuring indies to Hollywood films was held at the Collins Road Theaters.

Lane Wyrick receiving #1 Audience Favorite Award from Scott
Chrisman at the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival

The documentary received a standing ovation at both the screening and the awards ceremony.

"A Friend Indeed" has now been voted the "#1 Audience Favorite" in 4 festivals (Kansas Internat'l Film Festival, Hardacre Film Festival, Omaha Film Festival, and the Cedar Rapids Indep. Film Festival).

You can read about the festivals and other screenings at: http://www.BillSackter.com/Previous_Screenings.html

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Home Use DVD Nearly Complete

Over the past few weeks, I have been going through all the additional film and video footage and photographs that accumulated over the course of creating the documentary.

When I was in the middle of editing the documentary I had amassed over 50 hours of source material, and further on in the process I had edited the documentary down to 11 hours of really great usable material!

Of course the final documentary is 90 minutes, so I will have lots of this wonderful and insightful "additional material" as extras on the Home Use DVD, which will add a considerable new dimension to the whole experience of "A Friend Indeed".

Along with the full documentary, the DVD for "A Friend Indeed"
will also have over 2 hours of bonus material

Here are some of the features of the soon-to-be-released Home Use DVD: The full award-winning documentary, an insightful Director’s commentary track, lots of additional footage of Bill & friends, new interviews, deleted scenes & audio recordings, the World Premiere Event at Hancher Auditorium, behind the scenes footage at the orchestra recording session in Seattle, theatrical trailer, biographical information, and more…

With over two hours of additional material it is going to be a “must have” DVD for your collection and will add a lot to the experience of “A Friend Indeed”. For more information, go to: http://www.BillSackter.com/BuyTheDVD.html

*** AN ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE VERY SOON ON THE AVAILABILITY OF THE HOME USE DVD ***

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Bill Sackter Day Screening This Monday

Monday April 13 is the annual Bill Sackter Day celebration, held to commemorate Bill’s birthday.

There will be a special event sponsored by the University of Iowa School of Social Work which includes a celebration at Wild Bill’s Coffee Shop at 3 p.m. in North Hall, and then at 6:30 p.m. a screening of “A Friend Indeed” will be held in room W151 in the Pappajohn Business Building. The screening is free and open to the public.

Go to http://www.BillSackter.com/Upcoming_Screenings.html for more details.

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Arc of the US to Publish National Article About Documentary

Last November, “A Friend Indeed” was screened at the Arc’s National Convention in Albuquerque, NM. The Arc has nearly 800 Chapters across the US, serving people and families with disabilities.

Lane Wyrick was speaker and screened "A Friend Indeed"
at The Arc's National Convention

Now the Arc of the US is featuring the documentary in an upcoming article in “Insight Magazine” that goes out to 100,000 Arc members across the country. The article will be published later in April, and will be the first publication to give “A Friend Indeed” national recognition.

If you know of publications that would like to review the documentary please email me with your ideas at Lane@BillSackter.com

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New Video Clips on BillSackter.com Website

There have been many updates and improvements to the BillSackter.com website. Most notably along with the 3 minute trailer, there are three new videos: “See the first 4 minutes of ‘A Friend Indeed’”, “The Audience Reaction at the World Premiere”, and “Lane Wyrick’s Bio”.

If you haven’t stopped by the website lately (http://www.BillSackter.com), please watch these videos, especially the “First Four Minutes” which is on the main page just after you enter the site.

Website owners: I’ve also posted embed codes so that you can feel free to post these videos on your website as well to help spread the word. You can find the embed codes at: http://www.BillSackter.com/Press_and_Promotional_Tools.html

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Photo of Bill's Father, Sam Sackter, Discovered

Bill Sackter touched many lives, and it’s been an incredible adventure for me to find undiscovered material and find new people that had experiences with Bill. For instance, at recent screenings I’ve met with people that worked at the preschool in North Hall, people from Faribault Institution that remember Bill, and several people that rode with Bill on the Iowa City bus.

The other great discovery has been to make a connection with relatives of Bill – Bill’s sister Alice had descendants who just recently realized that Bill Sackter didn’t die when he was 7 years old as was the family story, but actually got out of the institution to live a wonderful life in his final years.

Stanley Leff (Alice’s son) recently sent me this previously unseen photo of Bill’s father, Sam Sackter.

I also shared with his family an audio letter that Jack Doepke recorded with Bill that was intended to get to Alice Leff in the mid-70s.

I’m looking forward to sharing the documentary with all of Bill’s relatives in the upcoming weeks and enjoy uncovering any new photos or stories about Bill.

If you have photos or stories related to Bill, please email me at Lane@BillSackter.com .

Or if you would like to share your Bill stories with everyone right now, please feel free to post them on the “Guestbook” at: http://www.BillSackter.com/Bills_Guestbook.html

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Now You Can Bring "A Friend Indeed" To Your Town

There are several ways in which you can bring the award-winning documentary "A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" to your town.

By hosting a Filmmaker Presentation and Screening, or by purchasing a Public Screening Site License, your organization can share this powerful documentary with your entire community make a huge impact on the perception of people with disabilities. You may also help to bring "A Friend Indeed" to your local independent movie theater as well.

Lane Wyrick Hosting a Filmmaker Screening
and Presentation at St. Olaf College

Go to: http://www.BillSackter.com/Filmmaker_and_Public_Screenings.html for an explanation of some of these concepts, and please call Lane Wyrick toll-free at 1-877-852-9485 to discuss possible options that would work best for your situation.

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Major Screening Event In Minneapolis on June 8

A very big screening event will be held at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis on June 8. It’s being called the “Minneapolis Launch of ‘A Friend Indeed’”, and much like the World Premiere last summer, this event will feature many guests including Barry Morrow, Lane Wyrick, Jack Doepke, Tom Walz and more.

This is going to be a wonderful event, with a Q&A afterwards, a chance for everyone to visit with people from the documentary and that knew Bill, and a Home Use DVD signing. Tickets will be $8.

June 8 - Major Screening at Riverview Theater in Minneapolis

More information, as it becomes available will be posted at: http://www.BillSackter.com/Upcoming_Screenings.html

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Thanks to all of you who are interested in “A Friend Indeed – The Bill Sackter Story”, and please help get the word out by telling people you know to visit the website: http://www.BillSackter.com

Take care and have a Happy Easter!

All the best,

Lane Wyrick, director/editor
“A Friend Indeed – The Bill Sackter Story”