Film Premier to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy Campaign

The first UK screening of multi-award winning documentary, ‘Darius Goes West' (Dir: Logan Smalley) is to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. A charity premiere, being held as part of the Declaration of Independence Film Festival, is to take place on Monday 4 June at 6pm at the Cineworld cinema in London’s Docklands. Tickets for this event, priced £12, can be purchased via www.muscular-dystrophy.org/darius

[ClickPress, Fri Jun 01 2007] The first UK screening of multi-award winning documentary, ‘Darius Goes West' (Dir: Logan Smalley) is to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. A charity premiere, being held as part of the Declaration of Independence Film Festival, is to take place on Monday 4 June at 6pm at the Cineworld cinema in London’s Docklands. Tickets for this event, priced £12, can be purchased via www.muscular-dystrophy.org/darius

The film follows an amazing road trip across the US made by 15-year-old Darius Weems and a gang of his friends. Darius, from Athens, Georgia, has the muscle wasting disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In an attempt to get his wheelchair ‘pimped’ on the MTV show ‘Pimp My Ride’, Darius and his friends set off on a great adventure across the breadth of America. Darius had previously never left his hometown – for the first time he sees the mountains, swims in the ocean and encounters wasabi sauce.

Peter Storey, organiser of the Declaration of independence Film Festival said;
“We just had to have this extraordinary film in the Declaration of independence Film Festival. It has won awards around the world because it focuses on ability not disability and is a celebration of compassion, life and brotherhood. Darius is a typical teenager and instead of feeling sorry for him because he is terminally ill, viewers will love his sense of humour and share his excitement as he discovers America.”

Philip Butcher, Chief Executive at the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign said:
“We’re thrilled that the Declaration Festival organisers chose to support the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign at this film premiere. It’s a chance for people to come and see how muscular dystrophy affects Darius’s life, and why more money needs to be invested in research and support to help the 30,000 people living with muscle diseases in the UK.”

The documentary is designed to educate as well as entertain. In addition to hilarious footage from this all-male road trip, it features stories from two other families affected by the disease and an interview with a medical expert discussing promising new research into Duchenne. The boys also highlight wheelchair accessibility issues on their travels.

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Notes to editors:

Interviews with filmmakers can be arranged on request. We are also happy to provide any other press materials that you require and can provide viewing copies. Press passes are also available for screenings and events for the festival, please call to arrange.

All proceeds will be donated to the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign and Charley’s Fund, a US not-for-profit fund that supports research into muscular dystrophy. See www.muscular-dystrophy.org/darius

From 1st to 7th June 2007, the Declaration of Independence Film Festival will offer Londoners the chance to see original films from the USA and Canada for the first time, with 17 international premieres being screened. Visit the festival website for a full line-up of films and for a schedule of events: www.declarationfilmfest.org

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is the only UK charity focusing on muscle diseases. It has pioneered the search for a cure and treatments for muscle disease for over 45 years, and has continued to provide practical care and emotional support to people affected by the condition. We are still campaigning for increased Government spending on medical research.

More than 30,000 people in the UK have muscle disease and 150,000 people are indirectly affected as relatives and carers. There are no cures or treatments which prevent the breakdown of muscle, but increased knowledge has improved the quality of people’s lives and – in many cases – length of life. The charity invests £3 million a year in care support services, muscle centres, networks, information, resources and research. The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is registered as a charity, no. 205395.

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For further information, please contact:

Paula Woodward, Press Officer, Muscular Dystrophy Campaign
Tel: 020 7819 1813 Email: p.woodward@muscular-dystrophy.org
Web: www.muscular-dystrophy.org

Julia Delmas, Festival Press Liaison
Tel: 020 8880 6656 Email: festivalpress@declarationfilmfest.org
www.declarationfilmfest.com