Press Release – 04/13/12

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Erin Kelly
BolderLife Festival
(303) 818-4645
erin@bolderlifefestival.com
www.bolderlifefestival.com

Former Boulder, CO student rallies to bring “Bully” film screening to over 16,000 Boulder students

Each year, bullying impacts over 13 million kids in America.  This August, more than 16,000 high school and middle school students in Boulder, Colorado will have the opportunity to view the new documentary film, BULLY, and participate in discussion groups to address the issue head on.

BULLY follows 5 kids and families over the course of a school year, including the stories of 2 families who have lost children to suicide as a result of unrelenting bullying.  The film has spawned The Bully Project, a collaborative effort that brings together organizations that share a commitment to end bullying.  After they watch the film, Boulder students will attend town hall discussions and will be challenged to be agents of change to stop bullying.

BolderLife Festival will be bringing the event to Boulder in association with The Bully Project and their 1 Million Kids effort, Facing History and Donors Choose, online charities that make it easy for anyone to help students in need.  BolderLife Festival is an annual Colorado-based international festival that celebrates and explores our journey through life via film, theatre and educational programming.  Erin Kelly, the Festival’s Artistic Director, and former Boulder student says “At BolderLife, we aim to shed light on life altering events.  Through the medium of film, theatre and education, we build a secure platform to deeply delve into these events and also work to provide a community to support that exploration.”

Local donor for the event, Rose Pritzker, was a student with Kelly in Boulder. Pritzker has been involved in the film since the beginning, and is one of the central people in the 1 Million Kids effort.  “People across the country are making this movement their own in really creative, inspiring ways.  Our goal is to reach a million kids with the film and our educational platform.  We’ve already reached tens of thousands of students in just a few weeks.  I’m excited to help bring this powerful movement to my hometown of Boulder.”

Pritzker also shares the team’s goal of changing policy. “BULLY has pushed forward new pieces of legislation.  Congress is now putting together a bullying caucus to address this issue” says Pritzker.  Director Lee Hirsch adds “seeing Boulder mobilized is incredibly inspiring as we continue to grow our numbers towards our goal of 1 million kids, at which point we’ll declare a national tipping point.”

The opportunity presented to the Boulder Valley School District has been met with open support by school administration and educators who will be working closely with parents, local organizations and the event sponsors. Colorado Congressman Jared Polis has also voiced his support in the effort.

For more information about this event, visit http://www.bolderlifefestival.com or contact erin@bolderlifefestival.com.

To read more about this event and the Bully Project please CLICK HERE