October 1 , 2007
Lourdes Rodriguez-Barrera
NSU Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5309 (office)
954-445-1287 (mobile)
rodrlour@nova.edu
Award Winning “Autism: The Musical” Makes South Florida Debut at NSU
Tickets Now Available for Event Benefiting Programs for Children with Autism
Ft. Lauderdale (Davie) Fla. – “Autism: The Musical”, the upbeat and mesmerizing documentary that has won accolades since its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York last spring, is coming to South Florida.
Don’t miss the one-time screening of this warm and riveting on-screen production on October 21 at 2 p.m. in the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center located on the Davie Campus of Nova Southeastern University.
Presented by NSU’s Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies in conjunction with the 22nd Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF), “Autism: The Musical” offers a fresh approach to a baffling disease. The documentary follows one woman’s pledge to lead a group of five autistic children who together write, rehearse and perform their own full-length musical. Director Tricia Regan captures the struggles and triumphs of their family lives and observes how this musical production gives these performers a comfort zone where they can explore their creative sides. As part of the 22nd Annual FLIFF, the film is one of a select few film premieres and exclusive screenings being showcased at the long established and highly anticipated annual event that reels more than 200 films throughout South Florida.
As a reviewer from The Seattle Times wrote “Regan structures her film as a revelatory character study, with all the joy and heartbreak you'd expect from a Hollywood tearjerker. But "Autism: The Musical" is anything but maudlin: It's an eyes-wide-open account of tenacity and triumph for parents and children alike. Considering the dramatic rise in the number of children born with autism, it's a film that everyone should see and appreciate.”
In 1980, autism was a relatively rare disorder, diagnosed one in 10,000 children in the United States. Now there are one in 150 cases diagnosed in the United States.
The Mailman Segal Institute's programs are dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and families affected by autism through building community awareness and providing direct service programs, professional development activities, and family support. The Mailman Segal Institute's Baudhuin Preschool, located on the main campus of NSU, is an internationally recognized, model program for children with autism spectrum disorder. In partnership with Broward County Schools, the program benefits from its affiliation with NSU through natural collaboration with other university departments.
“Autism: The Musical” is a rallying call summoning awareness to a modern-day epidemic, all the while celebrating the way the human spirit can overcome even the most complex of challenges.
General admission is $15 with a portion of the proceeds going to the Baudhuin Preschool at Mailman Segal Institute. Admission is $5 for members of FLIFF, and $3 for NSU students, faculty and staff.
For tickets, please visit, www.fliff.com and
click on the tab marked Schedule to Buy Tickets for the October 21 screening of “Autism: The Musical.”
About the Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies
The Mailman Segal Institute is a multidisciplinary center focusing on children prenatal through age five and their families, professionals in early care and education, academic programs in related fields, outreach, research, policy making, collaboration and consultation with institutes of higher education and private organizations that develop products and publications. The institute is located on the main NSU campus in the Jim & Jan Moran Family Center Village, a state of the art demonstration and training facility showcasing best practices in the fields of early childhood education, special education, family support, and parenting education.
About Nova Southeastern University
Situated on 300 beautiful acres in Davie, Florida, Nova Southeastern University is a dynamic, fully accredited institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs of distinction from preschool through the professional and doctoral levels. NSU has more than 26,000 students and is the sixth largest not-for-profit independent institution nationally. The university awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, psychology and other social sciences. For more information, please visit www.nova.edu.
