Last modified: Monday, March 7, 2011
Indiana Resource Center for Autism to co-host screening of 'Wretches & Jabberers'
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2011
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana Resource Center for Autism (IRCA) at Indiana University and the Autism Society of Indiana have been selected by the Autism Society of America (ASA) to host two screenings of the film Wretches & Jabberers, on April 16 in Bloomington and April 23 in Indianapolis, to commemorate National Autism Awareness Month.
Wretches & Jabberers, directed by Academy Award winner Gerardine Wurzburg, follows two men with autism, Tracy Thresher and Larry Bissonnette, who embark on a global quest to change attitudes about disability, intelligence and communication. The movie is the latest documentary by Wurzburg, who won the 1993 Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for her film Educating Peter and was again nominated in 2005 for Autism is a World.
"We are pleased to be selected by the National Autism Society to be a local host of this film event. We hope the documentary will bring awareness to the reality of the challenges faced by adults on the autism spectrum while celebrating their potential," said Cathy Pratt, director of the IRCA and past president of ASA.
Photo courtesy of Douglas Biklen
Tracy Thresher and Larry Bissonnette visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Tokyo in the film 'Wretches & Jabberers.'
The Indiana Resource Center on Autism is part of the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, a research and services center at Indiana University Bloomington.
The local screening of Wretches & Jabberers will be hosted by the IRCA and representatives of the IU student group Students on the Spectrum (SOS), which focuses on providing IU students living with autism with supports and opportunities to engage in campus and community activities. The Bloomington screening will be held on Saturday, April 16, starting at noon at AMC Showplace 12, 2929 W. Third St. The Indianapolis screening will be held on Saturday, April 23, at AMC Showplace 17, 4325 S. Meridian St., starting at noon.
AMC Theatres is partnering with the National Autism Society and the film distribution company Area 23a for a national theatrical run of Wretches & Jabberers.
"AMC's exclusive release of Wretches & Jabberers speaks to people with autism in their lives and raises the awareness of those not familiar with this condition," said Gerry Lopez, CEO and president of AMC. "Our showcasing this moving documentary is an extension of AMC's commitment to the autism community through our Sensory Friendly Films program, which presents first-run theatrical films in a safe, accepting environment for families who live with autism."
Wretches & Jabberers will premiere on April 1 for a limited theatrical run at the AMC Empire 25 in Times Square in New York. The company will also launch a limited theatrical run of the film in Los Angeles starting on April 15. Additionally, Area 23a will open Wretches & Jabberers across the United States as part of a 40-city tour in top markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston beginning April 2, which is World Autism Awareness Day. AMC will donate a portion of the ticket sales from the 40-city tour to the Autism Society.
For more information on the Bloomington event, contact Pam Anderson, Indiana Resource Center for Autism, at 812-855-6508 or pamander@indiana.edu. For information on the Indianapolis screening, contact Leslie Jachim at 800-609-8449 or info@inautism.org.
For a complete list of markets and AMC theatres where Wretches & Jabberers will be playing, visit https://www.autism-society.org/wretchesandjabberers. To view the movie trailer, visit https://www.wretchesandjabberers.org/.
About the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community and Indiana Resource Center for Autism
The Indiana Institute on Disability and Community is a research, education and service center affiliated with Indiana University Bloomington. Its mission is to work with communities to welcome, value and support the meaningful participation of people of all ages and abilities through research, education and service. For information visit https://www.iidc.indiana.edu. The IRCA conducts training and consultations, engages in research and disseminates information to build community capacity to support children and adults on the autism spectrum. Visit https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca for more information.
The Indiana Institute on Disability and Community receives support from the Office of the Vice Provost for Research at Indiana University Bloomington (OVPR). OVPR is dedicated to supporting ongoing faculty research and creative activity, developing new multidisciplinary initiatives, and maximizing the potential of faculty to accomplish pathbreaking work. Visit https://research.iub.edu/ for additional information.
About the Autism Society of Indiana
The Autism Society of Indiana (ASI) is dedicated to autism advocacy and awareness, support (for individuals with autism, their families, and the professionals that work with them), and to provide Information about autism to the public. ASI is a state chapter of the Autism Society of America. Visit https://www.inautism.org for additional information.
About the Autism Society of America
The Autism Society of America, the nation's leading grassroots autism organization, exists to improve the lives of all affected by autism. It does this by increasing public awareness about the day-to-day issues faced by people on the spectrum, advocating for appropriate services for individuals across the lifespan, and providing the latest information regarding treatment, education, research and advocacy. See https://www.autism-society.org for additional information.
