 |
         
|
Directed, written and produced by Oscar™ nominee Robert Bilheimer, narrated by Glenn Close and Will Smith, the film explores the intricate relationship between health, dignity, and human rights, and shows how the harsh realities of AIDS in the world are an expression of the way the world is. In A Closer Walk, incisive interviews with individuals from all walks of life, including the Dalai Lama, Kofi Annan, and Bono, combine with stories, portraits and vignettes of children, women, and men living with AIDS, and those caring for them, on four continents. Breathtaking cinematography by Richard D. Young celebrates human dignity, even as it bears witness to immense human suffering. All these elements are woven together in a film that is not only about a deadly infectious disease, but also about the human condition. Moving, thought-provoking, and ultimately inspiring, A Closer Walk raises fundamental questions about our responsibilities to one another, and tells us that if we act with compassion and conviction -- if we walk the walk -- then we can indeed put an end to the worst plague in human history, and reaffirm our membership in the human family. In October 2005 Y.E.A.H. is launching the educational release of ‘A Closer Walk’, a film depicting the global AIDS pandemic. To complement and promote the education value of the film, a detailed educational study guide is available.
Activities have also been structured to complement components of the film that can be viewed chapter by chapter, making this guide suitable for a single class focusing on the topic of AIDS or a series of classes that can be conducted for a duration suiting the individual school circular and time frame. Although the guide has been designed to assist teachers addressing the issues of HIV & AIDS in the classroom, Y.E.A.H. also has trained individuals who can run workshops derived directly from the study guide. The study guide can be downloaded for FREE from Y.E.A.H.’s website from October 2005.
For enquiries please contact Y.E.A.H.
The objectives of Y.E.A.H. are to distribute the film through an educational DVD release targeting Australian schools, educational institutes and health workers. The educational DVD of A Closer Walk will be accompanied by a study guide developed by Y.E.A.H. The development of the study guide has been recognised by representatives from the Education Department, The Office of Youth Affairs, State and Federal Health Departments and members of the community including students, teachers and principals. The study guide has been reviewed by ATOM, (Australian Teachers of Media), to ensure that it complies with curricular guidelines.
The study guide will comprise three main components:
In addition to the educational release, Hopscotch will facilitate the commercial release of the film to coincide with World AIDS Day December 1 2005. Proceeds from the sale of the educational kit and a percentage of the commercial release will be received by Y.E.A.H., (a registered non-for profit health promotion foundation), enabling Y.E.A.H. to sustain its work with the Australian community.
January 2003 - May 2005 "The Revolution was affected before the war even commenced.
A Closer Walk was completed in January 2003. Between that time and the present, the film has been seen in previews, premieres, limited theatrical runs, and private and public screenings in hundreds of locations around the world, including NGO conferences and venues worldwide, workplace settings, schools, and college campuses in the United States, India, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa. Major preview, premiere, and festival screenings of the film have been held in the past 15 months in Los Angeles, Kansas City, Denver, Washington DC, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Nashville, New York City, New Delhi, Kiev, Johannesburg, and Durban. The Asia premiere of the film, in July, 2004, sponsored by General Motors, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, AmFAR, and the Asia Society, launched the XVth International AIDS Conference in Bangkok. Film festival appearances include Tribeca, Denver, Durban, and the XXXVth India International Film Festival in December, 2004.
A Closer Walk’s USA home video distributor is Direct Cinema, Ltd. Its distributor for sub-Saharan Africa is the Film Resources Unit in Johannesburg. The film’s website, acloserwalk.org has been visited by more than a million individuals and organizations in 54 countries. A Closer Walk was broadcast on the SABC 1 ( South Africa) on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2004 and on the CBC ( Canada) in March 2005. Additional broadcasts in 2005 include Doordarshan ( India) and the CCTV in China. Discussions for other national broadcasts of the film in 2005 / 2006 are underway in the USA, Australia, Japan, and various countries in Africa, Latin America, and Europe.
A Closer Walk is fully owned by Worldwide Documentaries, Inc., which retains full and exclusive rights to any and all theatrical and broadcast licensing agreements.
Directed, Written, and Produced by Narrated by Director of Photography and Co-Director Second Unit Director of Photography Edited by Co-Producers Original Music by With Special Gratitude Produced in Association with the
|
Film Synopsis 
A Closer Walk is the first film to provide a definitive portrayal of humankind's confrontation with the global AIDS epidemic.
The study guide offers an introduction to teachers, parents and student about AIDS in the world. The guide includes activities that are designed to encourage students to explore the issues surrounding AIDS from a human rights perspective as well as providing basic factual information. Specific learning outcomes make this guide simple and effective to use in the classroom.
In recognition of the powerful impact and comprehensive overview achieved by A Closer Walk, YEAH in partnership with World Wide Documentaries Inc. has secured a national DVD distribution agreement with Hopscotch Entertainment Film Distributors. The collaboration is underpinned by the collective intention to facilitate the film as a central educational and public awareness raising tool. Hopscotch Entertainment is an industry leader with thirty years experience in the distribution of art house/quality films.
The educational kit, comprising the DVD A Closer Walk and study guide will be the first tool of its kind to utilise film to explore the social, global and humanitarian issues associated with HIV & AIDS. The educational kit raises the question of the need for a standard of HIV/AIDS education available to students across Australian schools, whilst also being a suitable educational resource through public libraries and health organisations.
To launch the education DVD and study guide release of ‘A Closer Walk’ a screening will be held at Kino Dendy Cinema, Collins Street Melbourne in late October. A panel of individuals representing Health, Education and HIV/AIDS will be present for a Q & A session at the conclusion of the screening. We encourage all people working in education, health services, community groups and Government departments and we especially encourage students to attend. This is your chance to tell us if this is the sort of information you would like to see in your school or university.
On December 1, 2003, excerpts from the film were featured in a special World AIDS Day segment of the Oprah Winfrey Show, which was broadcast around the world and seen by more than 15 million people. 
Sponsors and partners with Worldwide Documentaries in the distribution phase of A Closer Walk include General Motors, Eastman Kodak, Coca Cola, Delta Motors, ABSA, AmFAR, IAVI, the Asia Society, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, The Global Health Council, the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, The Global Fund, several US Embassies around the world including the Embassies in South Africa and Nigeria, UNDP, UNAIDS, WHO, Partners In Health, The Earth Institute, Physicians for Human Rights, The American Medical Student Association, and the Dalai Lama’s Foundation for Universal Responsibility. 
