Triad filmmaker to show award-winning documentary at High Point Theatre | YES! Weekly

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By Press Releases

High Point, N.C.– Triad filmmaker, Jeffrey Mittelstadt, will host the North Carolina premiere of his award-winning documentary film, Staring Down Fate, on March 29 at the High Point Theatre. The film follows red wolf biologist Chris Lucash from working here in North Carolina with the only wild red wolf population in the world to his diagnosis with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). Staring Down Fate is about searching for purpose in life and in mortality; about finding inspiration in the face of uncertainty.

It is a story about 7.4 billion people and our relationship with nature told through one person’s life. Staring Down Fate won “Best Feature Film” across all genres at the Sunrise 45 Film Festival and one of the highest honors at Southern States Indie FanFilmFest, the “Atman Award for Diversity in Film.” Southern City Film Festival also awarded it “Honorable Mention” for Best Feature-Length Documentary.

“I want to hold the North Carolina premiere in my new hometown of High Point, NC,” wrote Jeffrey Mittelstadt, filmmaker and president of the nonprofit WildSides. “This is a North Carolina story, edited and produced right here. I’m excited to meet everyone, before and after the film, and to share what WildSides will do next here in the Triad!”

Staring Down Fate starts in the field with Chris and his colleagues working to save the endangered red wolf. But with Chris’ diagnosis, it becomes a deeply emotional journey to answer the question “Why me?” since experts say only 10 to 15 percent of all cases of ALS are purely genetic. The film highlights groundbreaking research finding correlations between environmental issues and ALS, as well as other neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

While Chris searches for answers the wild red wolf population he dedicated 29 years of his life to saving comes crashing down to an estimated 45 or fewer left in the wild. This challenges Chris as he explores meaning in his mortality. Even when he is “staring down fate,” Chris finds meaning in the hope that he can help bring people closer to nature. “I can’t wait to introduce everyone to Chris,” Mittelstadt said. “He continues to inspire people everywhere to find comfort and passion in living with purpose and to continually strive to make this world a better place.”

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the film begins at 7 p.m. on March 29 at the High Point Theatre, located at 220 E. Commerce Ave. in High Point. According to the press release, arrive early to meet the filmmaker, High Point resident Jeffrey Mittelstadt. Concessions open at 6 p.m. for snacks, soda, coffee, water, beer and wine. Tickets are $10 and to purchase tickets call the box office at (336) 887-3001 or purchase tickets with an extra fee online. Learn more about the film at its website. To contact the filmmaker, by email connect@wildsides.org.

 

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