Event: “Darius Goes West: The Roll of His Life” Award-winning Documentary and Meet & Great
Date & Time: Mon., May 26, 11 a.m.
Admission: FREE · open to public
Location: Giant Screen Theater · Peoria Riverfront Museum · 222 S.W. Washington St. · Peoria
Peoria Riverfront Museum will host the award-winning documentary “Darius Goes West: The Roll of His Life” and a meet and greet with its star, Darius Weems, Mon., May 26, 11:00 a.m. at the Giant Screen Theater. Public is invited, admission is free.
Weems suffers from a rare genetic disorder, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The wheelchair-bound aspiring rap star was 15 in July 2005 when the documentary was made; his older brother had just died of the disease. The film centers on the epic 7,000-mile cross-country journey that Weems made that summer with the help of supporters.
The Athens, Georgia native had never traveled beyond his home state when he and his friends, all but one of whom were also under 20, drove from coast to coast in an RV. Although their destination was Los Angeles – where the group had intended to convince the producers of MTV’s Pimp My Ride to customize Weems’ wheelchair – they also visited a number of parks and sites along the way.
During the three-week trek, the teens held more than a dozen press conferences to raise awareness for muscular dystrophy and wheelchair accessibility. They also discovered much about life and themselves.
Darius Goes West has won 28 film festival awards, and has served as the centerpiece for a nationwide grassroots movement to support DMD research. A donation stand will be set up in the theater lobby. All proceeds will go to DMD research in hope of finding treatment or a cure for this disease. To learn more visit www.dariusgoeswest.org.
“We’re always excited to raise awareness about important issues, and the giant screen theater is an extraordinary tool for that,” said David Stief, museum theater curator. “This is an excellent documentary, produced by a group of courageous young friends, motivated by hope – it’s truly a must-see.”
The Peoria Riverfront Museum is the collaborative effort of eight organizations, with nearly 500 years of combined experience educating, entertaining, and supporting our diverse Peoria-area culture. Our mission is to inspire lifelong learning for all – connecting art, history, science, and achievement through collections, exhibitions, and programs.
For further information about the Museum visit peoriariverfrontmuseum.org.