Indestructible To Receive Its World Premiere At The 17th Annual Cinequest Film Festiv
 

January 2007


INDESTRUCTIBLE TO RECEIVE ITS WORLD PREMIERE AT THE 17TH ANNUAL CINEQUEST FILM FESTIVAL IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 11, 2007.



Dear Friends and Supporters,

ALS Film Fund is pleased to announce that Indestructible will premiere at Cinequest, one of the top film festivals in the world. Not only will Indestructible receive exposure to 70,000 attendees, international press, distributors and film professionals, we will also be poised to take advantage of Cinequest's cutting-edge innovations with digital media distribution. Cinequest is at the forefront of multi-faceted distribution avenues for independent filmmakers, providing an effective platform to reach a broad and diverse global audience through DVD and downloadable feature-length films.

For more information about Cinequest, please visit www.cinequest.org.







While we are very excited about reaching this milestone after four years of hard work, this is truly just the beginning of our efforts. With an effective, moving and entertaining tool to tell the story of ALS, it is important, now more that ever, to step up our efforts and capitalize on the work we have done: thousands of people have become familiar with the struggle against ALS through our efforts. We would like to make that number reach the millions and we need your help to do it. While the film is nearly complete, there are some finishing costs associated with post-production. This is the most expensive phase of the filmmaking process. When Indestructible is complete, your dollars will be spent wisely and effectively to bring this remarkable film into the homes and theaters of all who need to see it.

Your support has taken a small seed and grown it into a global initiative that can truly change the landscape of this disease and others like it. Please continue your support in whatever way you can.

If you would like to attend Cinequest and volunteer for Indestructible at the festival, please contact Rebeccah Rush at rebeccahrush@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued support. We wish you a great 2007.

Ben Byer and Rebeccah Rush

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email: alsfilm@gmail.com
phone: 312-848-5919
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March 2006
Self-Portrait of an ALS Patient
By Ben Byer
1. BRAIN: This is the source of all of my problems, but my thought process seems to be intact. Somewhere inside this mass of jelly is a malfunction that is causing the neurons in my body to die off one by one.

2. EYES: One of my first symptoms was a twitching eyelid. I view the world in a different light than I did before. My eyes are the portals through which I experience life, in absence of other parts of my body.

3. NOSE: My sense of smell has diminished. I don't know if this is a symptom or not. Often filled with snot; it is a byproduct of other symptoms that I'm unable to blow or pick my nose effectively.

4. MOUTH: My tongue doesn't work properly, which affects speaking, eating and salivation. The daily grind. Everything goes in or out of my mouth: food, liquid, communication, my work; everything travels through this portal, and it is working less effectively over time.

5. NECK: The muscles are weak, making it difficult to hold my head up. Pain, cracking, weakness. Often, it feels as if my head is on a tethered line held up by some unknown force.

6. SPINE: This is the source of all atrophy. Somewhere inside this cord is a miscommunication, a deviation, a mishap that brings an unstoppable cascade of weakness to my limbs.

7. SHOULDERS: These don't work anymore. I never realized how important my shoulders were until they became relatively useless. They were always just there for me.

8. HEART: Pumping, but a bit faster than before. When I drink a glass of water, my heart-rate picks up. When I walk across the room, stand up, sit down, move left or right, my heart-rate picks up.

9. ARMS: Mostly loose skin. When I was younger, I had biceps. Now I have a remnant of a muscle that is identified as a bicep. I can feel the space between the bones of my forearm.

10. STOMACH: I used to eat like a horse. Now I eat like a bird. My stomach is shrinking.

11. DIAPHRAGM: Weakened – this is where it gets dangerous. Breath is life. This muscle is truly the one that I took for granted. Now, I exercise it daily with every breath I take.

12. LEGS: Stiff, but still working. I thank God every day that my legs are working, albeit a little bit less than they used to, but they are my best friends right now.

13. HANDS: The most useless and useful part of my body. Four and a half years ago, I was painting a house, and I felt a cramp in my hand. I had to peel my fingers back from the brush I was holding. I knew something was wrong.

14. FEET: My yoga instructor says I have good toe action. Maybe that compensates for my loss of balance. Every step I place them where they must be, for if I miss, I will fall like a tree.

15. HAROLD: Still works. My friend, my lover - the keeper of my most private thoughts.


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