Short film “Aphasia” plays at ECU on April 13

Published Apr 05, 2011 by
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GREENVILLE, N.C.  —   The short film “Aphasia,” which tells the true story of a North Carolina man who had a massive stroke at age 44, will be screened at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 13 in the auditorium of the East Carolina Heart Institute at East Carolina University.

The movie stars Carl McIntyre of Laurinburg, an actor who had a stroke in 2005. As a result, McIntyre lives with aphasia, an acquired communication disorder that impairs a person’s ability to process language but does not affect intelligence.

The free screening will be followed by a short talk and question-and-answer session with McIntyre. The East Carolina Heart Institute is at 115 Heart Dr.

The movie was written by Jim Gloster, a Charlotte director, actor, writer and friend of McIntyre. The film provides hope and inspiration to anyone working to overcome obstacles in their life. It recounts McIntyre’s experience during the stroke and uses both humor and pathos to tell the story of his recovery and struggle with his inability to communicate.

The production team of Gloster, Chuck Bludsworth, Tonya Bludsworth and Donna Scott formed Little Word Films to produce the movie, which is enjoying artistic recognition on the film festival circuit. More than 200 North Carolina film artists volunteered their time to make the film. Most had worked with and knew McIntrye before his stroke.

Aphasia affects about one million Americans or 1 in 300 people. Each year more than 100,000 people in the United States develop the disorder. It is more common than Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy, but most people have never heard of aphasia. While the most common cause is stroke, aphasia can result from head injury, brain tumor or other neurological causes. To learn more, visit www.aphasia.org.

To learn more about the Carl McIntyre Aphasia Project, visit http://www.aphasiathemovie.com or fan “Aphasia the Movie” on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @aphasiathemovie.

For additional information, contact Sherri Winslow at 252-744-6142 or email winslowsh@ecu.edu. The event is sponsored by the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Individuals with disabilities requesting accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact the Department for Disability Support Services at 252- 328-6799 (V) or 252-328-0899 (TTY).