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

"A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" Now Available on DVD

For immediate release

Winner of the Audience Favorite Award in 5 Film Festivals already (the Kansas International Film Festival, Hardacre Film Festival, Omaha Film Festival, Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival, and the New Strand Film Festival), “A Friend Indeed – The Bill Sackter Story” has just been released worldwide on DVD and is available and shipping now at www.BillSackter.com.

It’s an inspiring new feature-length documentary by award-winning filmmaker Lane Wyrick, showing how a forgotten man and an uncommon friendship shattered the world’s perceptions of people with disabilities, and it's been captivating audiences with its humor, emotion, and powerful message of human compassion!

The Deluxe Edition DVD Includes:

The Full Award-Winning Documentary "A Friend Indeed"

plus

An Insightful Director’s Commentary Track

Additional Footage of Bill & Friends

New Interviews, Deleted Scenes, & Audio recordings

The World Premiere Event at Hancher Auditorium

Behind the Scenes Orchestra Recording in Seattle

Theatrical Trailer, Biographical Information

...and much more.

WITH OVER 2 HOURS OF ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

IT IS A “MUST HAVE” DVD FOR YOUR COLLECTION!

Click here to find out more & order your DVD(s) today!

The Background: At the age of 7, Bill Sackter was institutionalized for mild mental retardation, and wouldn't be released from Faribault Institution in Minnesota for another 44 years.

But his friendship with college student Barry Morrow (who met Bill in Minneapolis and became his legal guardian to keep Bill out of the institution), would lead to Bill's meteoric rise as an international hero for people with disabilities, as the optimistic harmonica-playing proprietor of Wild Bill's Coffee Shop on the University of Iowa Campus in Iowa City.

Bill Sackter’s life story was made famous by the highly successful made-for-tv movie “Bill” (1981) starring Mickey Rooney as Bill Sackter, and Dennis Quaid as young filmmaker Barry Morrow.

This new feature-length documentary “A Friend Indeed – The Bill Sackter Story” uses the actual film and video footage and photographs of the real Bill Sackter taken by Morrow and others, along with new interviews with the people closest to Bill.

“A Friend Indeed” was created by Iowa City Filmmaker Lane Wyrick over a 7 year time period, and premiered at Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City last June to an audience of nearly 1200, where it received a standing ovation and much critical acclaim.

“I think the reason audiences have embraced ‘A Friend Indeed’ is because it is not only highly inspirational and very funny, but it also allows viewers to look beyond Bill’s disabilities and care for him as a human being,” Wyrick said. “It’s a fulfilling emotional experience that people will remember for a long time. A box of Kleenex is highly recommended!”

The documentary features a very moving full orchestral music score, created by Hollywood-trained composer Peter Bloesch (also of Iowa City). Wyrick and Bloesch closely collaborated throughout the entire process to make the music integral to the emotional storyline, and recorded the soundtrack at Seattle Music, well-known for their movie scores for major Hollywood productions.

The DVD is now available exclusively at www.BillSackter.com, where you can also find extensive information about “A Friend Indeed” and Bill Sackter, and even view the first 4 minutes of the documentary.

This Deluxe Edition DVD includes full 90-minute documentary, a director’s commentary, and over two hours of ‘extra’ footage, including additional film & video footage of Bill and friends, insightful interviews, audio recordings, as well as footage from the Hancher Premiere and behind-the-scenes at the orchestra recording in Seattle.

The DVD release comes at the same time that the documentary is picking up steam theatrically. Fresh off a nearly packed screening at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis (where nearly 200 DVDs were sold after the screening on the first night of it's release), Wyrick plans on offering the DVD to a worldwide audience to help spread the story more quickly and work hand in hand to promote more theatrical screenings, and to offer everyone an enhanced experience on DVD, and an opportunity to share “A Friend Indeed” with friends and family.

For more information, please visit www.BillSackter.com.

"A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" DVD Now Available for Pre-Order

The Home Use DVD for "A Friend Indeed - The Bill Sackter Story" is being finalized at this very moment and will be shipping on May 21st. 

Don't miss your chance to be the first to receive your copy of this powerful, inspiring and emotional documentary that has been voted the "#1 Audience Favorite" in four film festivals already.  

You can now Pre-Order your DVD(s) today

The Home Use DVD Includes:

The Full Award-Winning Documentary "A Friend Indeed"

plus

An Insightful Director’s Commentary Track

Additional Footage of Bill & Friends

New Interviews, Deleted Scenes, & Audio recordings

The World Premiere Event at Hancher Auditorium

Behind the Scenes Orchestra Recording in Seattle

Theatrical Trailer, Biographical Information

...and much more.

WITH OVER 2 HOURS OF ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

IT IS A “MUST HAVE” DVD FOR YOUR COLLECTION!

Click here to find out more & order your DVD(s) today!

Make sure to check out our
Buy 2 Get 1 Free Pre-Order Special!

Please visit www.BillSackter.com for more information

Hancher Premiere a Big Success - Next Stop Hardacre

On June 7, 2008 the World Premiere of “A Friend Indeed – The Bill Sackter Story” was held at Iowa City’s main entertainment venue Hancher Auditorium.

Hancher Auditorium - World Premiere

Audience of 1175

This was the first public screening ever of the completed feature-length documentary, and the reaction was overwhelmingly positive, with a crowd of 1175 people that filled the entire main level and spilled into the balcony. 

The documentary received a standing ovation, and many people commented later about being surprised by the wide ranging emotional content of the production, from very funny high points to deeply serious moments that brought tears to the eyes of many, but overall leaving people with a highly uplifting feeling about Bill Sackter and the people that helped him.

Lane Wyrick & Barry Morrow

Following the screening, there was a Q&A session with filmmaker Lane Wyrick, Academy Award Winning Screenwriter Barry Morrow (who was Bill’s legal guardian), Music Composer Peter Bloesch, and Jack Doepke (one of Bill’s & Barry’s best friends).

Reception in Hancher Lobby

Following the Q&A, there was a reception in the lobby of Hancher, sponsored by the Univ. of Iowa School of Social Work, allowing cast members, contributors, many friends of Bill, and those that were new to the story to mingle.

This wonderful evening was was the last event to be held in Hancher for some time – three days later it had to be evacuated and then it sustained $13 million damage from the Floods of ’08. Fortunately the Premiere event was videotaped, and will soon be posted on the Bill Sackter Documentary Website at www.BillSackter.com .

Next Stop, Hardacre Film Festival

On Saturday, August 2, 2008 at 9 p.m. the Festival Premiere of “A Friend Indeed – The Bill Sackter Story” will be held at the Hardacre Film Festival in Tipton, Iowa.

Already gaining a significant amount of festival buzz, the documentary was chosen as the finale screening for the entire film festival.

Festival Director Travis Alden, in an interview with the Quad Cities Times had this to say about the documentary: “It’s a documentary that’s just super-well-done. It’s very moving, very emotional. I’m not embarrassed to say it brought me to tears,” he said. “It really renews your positive outlook toward the human spirit.”

There is more information about the Hardacre Film Festival at: www.HardacreFilmFestival.com. Tickets are available for the Closing Evening Show, and there will be Q&A with filmmaker Lane Wyrick after the 9 p.m. screening.  

This festival is a competition, and awards will be announced immediately following the screening.

I hope to see you at the festival! - Lane