US/Russia Media Exchange to Premiere Short Films by Filmmakers with Disabilities

As part of a United States/Russian media exchange program, Downtown Community Television Center and Victor Calise, New York City Commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities will host the U.S. premiere screening of Media Enabled Musketeers at the HBO Theater on Friday, October 17th. Citizens with disabilities are the largest minority in both countries.

Media Enabled Musketeers is a program for American and Russian citizens who have disabilities and for filmmakers who are interested in disability issues. The goal is to produce films that provide a deeper understanding of disability and to promote friendship between Russia and the United States.

The films cover EVERYDAY issues faced by Russians and Americans with disabilities: accessibility, love, dreams, prejudice. On the Russian side, one film, Mariam's Victory, by Mariam Magomedova tells a story of a brilliant poet with cerebral palsy who has a dream to attend Harvard and practice human rights law. Vladimir Turushev's I'm Like a Bird but with No Wings features a man with cerebral palsy who creates computer art and poetry with the aid of a simple device designed by his mother.

Millions of viewers in Russia have seen these films on TV. This has started a conversation and investigation about access and rights for all citizens.

On the American side, Jonathan Novick's film Don't Look Down On Me, has become a You Tube sensation that has been viewed by over 2.6 million people. The film chronicles a day in the life of Jonathan, a New Yorker, with Achondroplasia, the most common type of dwarfism. Jonathan uses a hidden camera to show the prejudice and insensitivity he has to deal with on a daily basis.

"This is why we picked up cameras 40 years ago. To help give a voice to the voiceless. We are inspired by the films this talented group has made, and excited at the reception from the public in America and Russia," said DCTV's Co-founder and 16 time National Emmy winner, Jon Alpert.

Jon Alpert and all the filmmakers will be at the HBO Theater in New York to meet the public and answer questions from the press. For most of the Russian filmmakers, this is their first time leaving their homeland.

Time: 6PM Reception | 7PM Screening and Q&A on Friday, October 17th

Location: HBO Theater

Address: 1100 Avenue Of The Americas @ 42nd Street

This program is funded by the U.S. Department of State, the Eurasia Foundation and its SEE (US-Russia Social Expertise Exchange) Program.

With additional support from NHL hall of famer Viacheslav "Slava" Fetisov, SONY, Bank of America Matching Gift Program, Time Warner Cares, The Center for New Media and Society(Moscow), TV Radoneje (Sergiev Posad), and TVK (Krasnoyarsk).

For more information about the screening, visit

www.dctvny.org

Downtown Community Television Center (DCTV):
Founded in 1972, DCTV, a nonprofit independent media arts center, believes that increasing public access to the electronic media arts invigorates our democracy. To advance this mission, DCTV has fostered a creative and diverse filmmaking community for over 40 years. DCTV produces award-winning broadcast documentaries, conducts affordable and free media arts training programs, provides advanced production and post-production resources, and offers public exhibitions of exceptional documentary films. DCTV films have been twice nominated for an Academy Award, and have won 16 national Emmys.

For more information, visit www.dctvny.org

Media Enabled Musketeers is a program for American and Russian citizens who have disabilities and for filmmakers who are interested in disability issues. The goal is to produce films that provide a deeper understanding of disability and to promote friendship between Russian and the United States. The program began in January 2014. A total of 35 Russian filmmakers are participating from Krasnoyarsk, Sergiev Posad, and Moscow. 13 American filmmakers are participating from New York and California.