The documentary Intelligent Lives takes viewers into the lives of three young people living with intellectual disabilities. The film is directed and produced by filmmaker Dan Habib of the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire and narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Chris Cooper.
Intelligent Lives airs Tuesday, October 22, at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT/ 9 p.m. PT) WORLD Channel and WorldChannel.org, in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
Intelligent Lives tells the stories of three young adults with intellectual disabilities – Micah Fialka-Feldman, Naieer Shaheed and Naomie Monplaisir – who challenge perceptions of intelligence as they navigate high school, college and the workforce. Academy Award-winning actor and narrator Chris Cooper shares the lives of these central characters through the emotional personal story of his son Jesse.
Intelligent Lives challenges what it means to be intelligent and points to a future in which people of all abilities can fully participate in higher education, meaningful employment and intimate relationships. “This film is a catalyst to transform the label of intellectual disability from a life sentence of isolation into a life of possibility,” said filmmaker Dan Habib.
Intelligent Lives is executive produced by Chris Cooper, actress/author Marianne Leone Cooper, and actress Amy Brenneman, and this broadcast is supported by Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, Agilent Technologies Foundation, and the SAP Corporation. Starting October 23, 2019, the film will stream for one month on worldchannel.org, amdoc.org, and all station-branded PBS platforms including PBS.org.
About
Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) is the corporate foundation of the Mitsubishi Electric group companies in the United States. MEAF works to make “Changes for the Better” in society by investing in innovative strategies to empower youth with disabilities to lead productive lives. For more information visit https://www.meaf.org/.
Film Media Contacts
To schedule an interview with Dan Habib and other special requests, journalists and reviewers may contact Kären Clausen at 603.228.2084 x26 or via email at karen.clausen@unh.edu. Director Dan Habib can also be reached at dan.habib@unh.edu. Photos, videos and more information available in the online press kit. For more information about the film, please visit www.intelligentlives.org.
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