Film and Activism
Health and Ability

Including Samuel Makes Impact

February 16, 2010 BY Molly Murphy

Including Samuel and the film’s campaign has big plans for 2010: a youth-driven inclusion campaign, international outreach, screenings across the country and more. But sometimes looking back is as exciting as looking forward. Filmmaker Dan Habib has shared a few spectacular highlights on the impact of Including Samuel that follow below.

20 TEENS & 48 HOURS
First, twenty teenage leaders from across the country held Including Samuel viewing parties in their communities, then came together at Imagination Stage in Bethesda, MD on January 8-10, 2010. Their goal was to develop an advocacy campaign to build awareness and support for the full social and educational inclusion of people with disabilities.

These teens created a powerful mission statement, developed two concepts for a national inclusion campaign, and created two prototype campaign videos — all in less than 48 hours! The campaign is under wraps and will be launched this spring! See more information about the Summit and the teens who took part, plus hundreds of photos at the Youth Inclusion Voices Facebook page.

ON THE ROAD: 150+ SCREENINGS IN 27 STATES
Dan has presented the film at more than 150 screenings in 27 states, as well as internationally. He has led discussions at film festivals, universities, high schools, national conferences, medical schools and theaters from New York City to San Francisco, Belgium to Montreal. The film has also screened at film festivals and events in more than a dozen countries, including Russia, Turkey, Greece, Belgium, India, England, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Scotland and Taiwan. Grants from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the Endowment for Health enabled Dan to bring free screenings and discussions to ten New Hampshire school districts and to many of New Hampshire’s pediatric medical practitioners and students. See the full list of screenings Dan has attended. Visit the Including Samuel Effect and the Facebook Group to read testimonials about the impact of the film on thousands of schools, organizations and families around the world.

Dan will present the film at the following upcoming events:
•    New York, NY: Young Child Expo and Conference, April 10
•    Nashville, TN: Council for Exceptional Children Convention, April 22
•    Minot, ND: Pathfinders Conference, May 6
•    Washington, DC: VSA arts International Conference, June 11

837 BROADCASTS ON 347 STATIONS
The film aired nationwide on PBS stations in the fall of 2009. The film was broadcast 837 times on 347 stations reaching 83% of the national market. The broadcasts, which had the potential to reach 240 million people, were underwitten by the National Inclusion Project and CVS Caremark All Kids Can. New Hampshire Public Television produced a half-hour segment on the impact of Including Samuel.

Read the Including Samuel newsletter to learn more about the campaign’s recent successes.

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