Bipolar Film Gets Multi-State Theatrical Run at Goodrich Quality Theaters Chain

Mid-West America ( Pressreleasecollection ) November 16, 2009 - Captivating independent feature film, “Human Like You – A Bipolar Odyssey,” the based-on-a-true-story of one man’s struggle to overcome the most severe form of bipolar disorder, has inked an agreement to receive a minimum one-week run at 12 Goodrich Quality Theaters locations throughout Michigan, Illinois and Indiana.

Commencing on October 30th and running for a minimum of one week in 12 Goodrich Quality Theaters locations, this micro-budget, indie film that has been widely received by the mental health community throughout Arizona and Michigan, is poised to make independent film records.

Two audiences of 300 and 135 respectively gave the film a 99% approval rating http://bipolarfilm.com/reviews/ , with everyone agreeing on one point – The film offers a message of hope, inspiration and possibility to the 54 million Americans suffering from mental illness, as well as their doctors, family members, friends, business colleagues and the many more millions of people whose lives are directly affected by mental illness.

Psychiatrists, patients, family members, and mental health professionals of great diversity, all agree that the time for a film like “Human Like You” http://bipolarfilm.com has finally come. Sutz and his team accomplished what no film on mental illness has ever achieved. This film shows the acute phase of a mental illness, and follows the main character through his eventual triumph over what is statistically the form of bipolar disorder that is most difficult to treat.

Bob Goodrich, second-generation owner of the Goodrich Quality Theaters chain, was first introduced to Sutz and his film through an editorial advertisement that Sutz had published in The Hollywood Reporter, the film industry’s leading daily, indicating in it that although the “Hollywood” film production and distribution crowd had “poo-pooed” his film, despite its perfect timeliness in a country which boasts 1-in-4 persons having a diagnosable mental illness, that Sutz would go ahead with a DVD release of his film. Then came Bob Goodrich, offering to allow Sutz to screen his film at one of the Goodrich Theaters locations, as long as Sutz would promote the event to local mental health groups. Sutz did that and the rave reviews began.

When asked why he was intrigued enough from reading Sutz’ editorial ad to actually have his Marketing/Creative Director, Kelly Owens, first reach out to Sutz, Bob Goodrich stated, “I was intrigued by Neal’s passion for his film. While a true story dealing with the complexity of bipolar illness may not seem commercial to Hollywood studios, I believe there is a public need to show Neal’s film. Minimally we want to try to reach out with Human Like You, to its intended audience.” When asked what he thought of the modestly successful first screening of Sutz’s aspiring indie film at Goodrich’s Quality 16 in Ann Arbor, MI, Goodrich stated, “It was a gratifying turnout of 135 people, which is fine for a weeknight for any feature film.” When asked why he decided to take the leap of faith and run “Human Like You” in some 12 multiplex locations throughout Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. Goodrich stated, “We are eager to open our doors to independent filmmakers who are professional, cooperative and realistic about how to promote their films. Human Like You is a well-made film that is very relevant to the lives of many people. Human Like You is a powerful and encouraging film about mental illness that we are personally committed to learning how we can persuade moviegoers to see it.”

”Mental illness is the most prevalent, pressing medical issue that our country is currently facing. This film is my part to bring to the attention of the average American that we, those with mental illness, are as human as anyone else and deserve to be treated as such and given full access to the best our mental health care system has to offer.”

Sutz stated, “Organizations like The Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Fund are leading the way to finding the cause and then the cure for this illness that counts among its numbers over seven million men, women and children in our country alone. I made this film as an accurate representation of a mentally ill man, not as the all-too-often-shown caricature of a mentally ill person as the media and the entertainment world most often portray.”

Sutz’s work in mental health advocacy has been featured on Good Morning America with Diane Sawyer, National Fox News, The Howard Stern Show and in over 500 print and online news publications.

“Human Like You – A Bipolar Odyssey” will be playing at 12 Goodrich Quality Theaters locations throughout the mid-west starting on October 30th.

Contact:
Neal David Sutz
Managing Partner
Swiss American Films, LLC
neal@swissamericanfilms.com
www.BipolarFilm.com
(480) 238-4169 Phone

Kelly Owens
Marketing/Creative Director
Goodrich Quality Theaters, Inc.
kowens@gqti.com
www.GQTI.com
(616) 827-6514 Phone

###