FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Berkshire County Arc
395 South Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Over 200 Attend Berkshire County Arc’s Sprout Film Festival
PITTSFIELD, Mass. (Apr. 3, 2018) – On Sunday, March 25, more than 200 moviegoers attended the 11th Berkshire County Arc Sprout Film Festival at Berkshire Community College’s Robert Boland Theatre in Pittsfield, Mass. The event was hosted by Berkshire County Arc’s Down Syndrome Family Group. The Down Syndrome Family Group is comprised of over 30 families throughout Berkshire County, working to advocate for and educate the public about Down Syndrome and people with disabilities. The Festival featured 13 films about individuals with various disabilities, their lives and personal achievements.
The Festival opened with the film “Drumming Is Like Thunder,” a showcase for Duncan’s showmanship and determination to defy the bullying behavior and his dream to perform in major cities around the globe.
A perfect segway into Autism Awareness Month in April, “Ben’s Filming the Movie,” was a short documentary about Benjamin Howard, a 14-year-old boy who loves acting and movies. This film was one of three shown during the festival, featuring individuals on the spectrum.
The festival ended with special guest, Jason Halkias. Jason was featured in one of thirteen films shown at the festival, a self-titled documentary “Jason”. He drove 15 hours to attend our showing in Pittsfield from Iowa. The audience was entertained after the show with a special karaoke performance by Jason of Lyndsay Buckingham’s “Holiday Road”!
A reception catered by Berkshire Community College followed the Film Festival, featuring an exhibit from the new BCArc Brain Injury Program, Nu-Opps, called “Unmasking Brain Injury”, where each mask told a story of an individual’s journey through their injury. All proceeds from the event support children, adults and families of Berkshire County residents with and impacted by Down syndrome.
About Berkshire County Arc
Founded in 1954, Berkshire County Arc is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization providing a broad range of community-based services to 750 individuals with developmental disabilities, brain injuries and autism throughout Berkshire and Hampden Counties in Massachusetts. The agency offers three day programs, 39 residential programs, employment services, citizen- and self-advocacy programs, respite services, an adult family care program and Zip ‘N Sort Mail Services. For more information, media professionals may contact Katrina Cardillo at 413-499-4241, ext. 254 or kcardillo@bcarc.org, or visit https://bcarc.org.
About BCArc Down Syndrome Family Group
The Berkshire County Arc Down Syndrome Family Group is comprised of families throughout Berkshire County, working to advocate for and educate the public about Down syndrome and people with disabilities. Members of the group offer support to one another by helping families access resources through local and state agencies, hosting an annual Buddy Walk of the Berkshires, sponsoring speakers on all areas of Down syndrome and by socializing at fun family events. For more information about the Down Syndrome Family Group, visit https://bcarc.org/down-syndrome-family-group/about-dsfg/.
Contact:
Katrina Cardillo
Director of Marketing & Development
413-499-4241 ext. 254
kcardillo@bcarc.org
