Peek Disability in Media Award Event for Carrie Fisher @ Utah Film Center (September 26th)

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CARRIE FISHER IN UTAH TOHONOR THE LEGACY OF THE REAL RAIN MANFISHER NAMED SECONDRECIPIENT OF PEEK DISABILITY IN MEDIA AWARD
Salt Lake City, Utah - Following the first sold-out Evening withTemple Grandin, the Utah Film Center will honor renowned actressand author Carrie Fisher with this year's Peek Award for Disabilityin Media.According to the 2011 Annual Reportfrom the Utah Department of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, close to 200,000people in Utah suffer from mental illness (approximately 7% of Utah´spopulation) and only about 24% ofthose afflicted have received treatment. Carrie Fisher´s visit to thestate in celebration of the life and impact of the real Rain Man, Salt LakeCity native Kim Peek, promises to be a deeply impactful and personalexperience.The Utah Film Center together withgenerous support from the Utah Autism Foundation and other community partnershave joined forces to present an Evening with Carrie Fisher to increasingcommunity awareness about disability, particularly mental illness, and thecritical role that media can play in promoting understanding and acceptance.While upwards of 54 million Americans are estimated to have some kind of mentaldisorder each year, only about eight million of those seek help, and the fearand shame they experience can often lead to tragic ends.The event will take place on Friday,November 9, at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center with Barry Morrow, theAcademy Award®-winning screenwriter of Rain Man, presenting the Peek Awardto Ms. Fisher as he permanently loaning his Oscar® statuette for thepeople of Salt Lake City to enjoy through the Utah Film Center, in celebrationof the legacy of Kim Peek, who served as the inspiration for the film Rain Man.Ms. Fisher will give an exciting keynote address followed by an on-stageinterview with KUER  RadioWest's host Doug Fabrizio. The evening willbe emceed by journalist Carole Mikita.Prior to the keynote event, we willhold an elegant reception with Ms. Fisher for VIP ticket holders and sponsorsat Valter´s Osteria. Ms. Fisher will also be in the lobby after the keynote toparticipate in a book signing for all ticket holders.The Peek Award will annually honor anactor, filmmaker, or subject of a film who is positively impacting oursociety's perception of persons with disabilities. As well as inspiring thosesuffering from mental illness to seek treatment, Ms. Fisher serves as anexample that each person is more than their disability and it is possible tolead a "normal" life and even achieve great personal and professional success.Diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder,actress and author Carrie Fisher has struggled with manic depression all of herlife, braving national scrutiny to share her story and provide inspiration toothers who also suffer from mental illness. Ms. Fisher has advocated fordecades to increase education, awareness, and research about mental illness, aswell as to dispel the stigma surrounding this type of affliction. Through herincredible creativity, candor, and wit, Ms. Fisher is able to use humor tobring awareness to this serious issue and help others decide to seek treatmentand speak out.Tickets are $50 per person, $45 forUtah Film Center Members, and VIP.Tickets including the pre-receptionwith Ms. Fisher are $150. Tickets will go on saleSeptember 26 through ArtTix at www.arttix.org.More details about all of ourupcoming events and membership can be found at UtahFilmCenter.org, Twitter @UtahFilmCenter and Facebook www.facebook.com/Utah-Film-Center