FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MTV2 & mtvU AIR TELEVISION PREMIERE OF AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY
“DARIUS GOES WEST”
Movie Turned Movement Starring Darius Weems Raises Over $1.5 Million to Help Cure the Leading Genetic Killer of Young People
Weems’ Cross-Country Quest Debuts On-Air on his 20th Birthday: Sunday, September 27th
New York, NY (September 23, 2009) – MTV2 and mtvU, MTV’s 24-hour college network, will exclusively present the world television premiere of the award-winning documentary film “Darius Goes West.” The film stars Darius Weems, a young man on a mission to help find a cure for his disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), the leading genetic killer of young people and the same disease that took Darius’ older brother’s life at age 19. The documentary will debut on-air on Darius Weems’ 20th birthday, September 27, 2009 at 12pm ET/PT and 6pm ET/PT, respectively. While the film airs, Darius will be on Twitter answering fans questions @DariusGoesWest.
Serious and seriously funny, this road trip flick documents Weems leaving home for the first time with 11 of his best friends in an attempt to get his wheelchair customized on MTV's popular show Pimp My Ride. As he heads West from Athens, GA, Weems sees mountains for the first time, dips his toes in the ocean, and hangs out with celebrities. During the journey, as the group bonds, they also increase awareness about DMD and ultimately raise over $1.5 million to support DMD research to help find a cure for this eventually fatal disease.
“Darius is an extraordinary example of how one committed young person can make an outsized impact on this world,” said Chris McCarthy, Senior Vice President of Strategic Development and Digital TV Networks, MTV. “By celebrating and amplifying Darius' incredible work, we hope to inspire our audience to advance the Darius Goes West movement -- and take action on any issue they're passionate about.”
September 27, 2009 is Darius' 20th birthday, significant because DMD, the number one genetic killer of children in the world, kills victims in their late teens and early twenties. Darius' brother, Mario, died of the same disease at age 19.
“’Darius Goes West’ is dedicated to my brother Mario’s memory,” said Darius Weems. “The good news is that there’s a ton of promising research around DMD right now. While treatment or a cure probably won’t happen in my lifetime, I hope my film helps save all my ‘little brothers’ who have this disease.”
In June 2009, MTV partnered with Do Something to supersize Darius Weems’ prize at the “Do Something Awards,” which honors the nation’s best young world changers. Darius was one of five young people honored for their work that evening, and was given special recognition for the incredible impact he’s had on DMD funding and awareness, as well as disability rights. MTV surprised Darius with news that his documentary film would air on MTV2 and mtvU, and the network also donated $10,000 to Charley’s Fund, which devotes 100 percent of its funds to finding a cure for DMD.
“Darius Goes West” has won an unprecedented 28 film festival awards, an even mix of both Audience Choice and Juried awards. At the Tribeca Film Festival, it was hand-picked by Robert DeNiro as the sole flick to screen at his children’s school. To date, the “Darius Goes West” movement has logged over 112,000 miles in 2009, been screened by over 1,000 suporting organizations around the world, have spoken at more than 200 middle schools, high schools and colleges, and, currently, thanks to a grassroots effort by students at five middle and high school students, every single middle school and high school in America has a copy of “Darius Goes West.”
To get involved in the “Darius Goes West” movement and help Darius in his quest to find a cure for DMD, head to www.DariusGoesWest.org. Viewers can find more information on Darius and his movement, get involved, purchase a DVD to raise money for DMD, or participate in the campaigns newest initiative, “Play it Forward,” where anyone can watch the film online for free and share it with others. By joining “Play it Forward,” fans earn points for each view they inspire. As these points accrue, viewers can feel good about raising awareness, and earn prizes from “Darius Goes West.”
About MTV2
MTV2 is a guy's best friend, with the highest concentration of males 12-24 on TV today. A vibrant mix of music, lifestyle and action sports programming, MTV2 has reflected the habits and behavior of young men since its launch in 1996. MTV2’s audience has grown each year, and the channel is currently available in more than 75 million homes.
About mtvU
Broadcast to more than 750 college campuses and via top cable distributors in 700 college communities nationwide, mtvU reaches nearly 9 million U.S. college students – making it the largest, most comprehensive television network just for college students. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, mtvU can be seen in the dining areas, fitness centers, student lounges and dorm rooms of campuses throughout the U.S., as well as on cable systems from Charter Communications, Verizon FiOS TV, Suddenlink Communications, AT&T u-Verse and nearly 70 others. mtvU is dedicated to every aspect of college life, reaching students everywhere they are: on-air, online and on campus. mtvU programs music videos from emerging artists that can’t be seen anywhere else, news, student life features and initiatives that give college students the tools to advance positive social change. mtvU is always on campus, with hundreds of events per year, including exclusive concerts, giveaways, shooting mtvU series and more. For more information about mtvU, and a complete programming schedule, visit www.mtvU.com.
mtvU also owns and operates the College Media Network, the largest interactive network of online college newspapers in the US, and RateMyProfessors.com, the Internet’s largest listing of collegiate professor ratings. The College Media Network comprises 600 campus publications that serve institutions including Brown University, Ohio State University, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Texas at Austin and Duke University, with a combined enrollment of over 5.5 million students, reaching an average of 5 million unique users each month. RateMyProfessors.com reaches approximately 3 million college students each month, via the site’s more than 10 million student-generated ratings of over 1,000,000 college professors.
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Contact:
Janice Gatti Tom Biro
MTV MTV
212-846-8852 212-846-6406
Janice.gatti@mtvstaff.com Tom.Biro@mtvstaff.com