” There are many anti-bullying films on the market.
What makes this one unique is the voice of a child who experienced
it first-hand. The resolutions proposed are simple and realistic.
If this film prevents the bullying of even one child, then it’s done its job.”
— Ranny Levy, Founder and President, KIDS FIRST!
INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY, THIS POWERFUL, UNDENIABLE DRAMA FROM 11-YEAR-OLD GERRY ORZ WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT THE WORLD
THE EQUATION OF LIFE
A Film About Bullying Through the Eyes of a Child,
The Extras-Laden, Must-See DVD Will Be Released in Time for
October’s National Bullying Prevention Month
National Release Date: October 14, 2014
DVD SRP: $16.98
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
28% of U.S. students in grades 6-12 have experienced bullying (Stop Bullying.gov). Over 70% of young people say they have seen bullying in their schools. And more than 3 million American kids will be bullied this year, making it the most common form of violence experienced by young people in the nation (Bullying: Facts for Schools and Parents.” NASP Fact Sheet, 2014). While there have been some recent, topical, ripped-from-the-headlines films such as Bully, none of them have been helmed by a bullied child – until now. The acclaimed, award-winning THE EQUATION OF LIFE, debuts on extras-laden DVD from Shelter Island, an imprint of TDC Entertainment, in time for October’s annual National Bullying Prevention Month.
When 10-year-old Gerry Orz created his short film “Day of Silence” to speak to the bullying he himself was facing each day, he knew the 11,000+ YouTube views he immediately racked up meant he’d struck a nerve. With a goal of breaking the cycle of bullying that begins for so many in elementary school, the following year, Gerry — now, at age 12, a nationally-recognized anti-bullying advocate — turned the original short into THE EQUATION OF LIFE, a 32-minute film about how each and every decision we make changes the path we travel.
In EQUATION OF LIFE, inspired by Gerry’s true story, 11-year-old Adam (played by the filmmaker himself)is bullied in his new town on his way to school, so he begins to video journal his daily experiences. And when he finally takes matters into his own hands, everyone around him is affected: his parents, his sister and the bully – and they they all pay a price for their actions. This powerful and undeniable drama, winner of Merit Awards from Accolade and IndieFest, is a compelling film by one child who is speaking to all children (and adults)about a subject so important it needs to be seen by everyone.
More than a story about bullying, THE EQUATION OF LIFE teaches the vital lesson that ‘Words + Actions = Consequences”, and, ultimately, has a message so powerful that it will change the way audiences view living responsibly…forever.
DVD BONUS FEATURES
- Intro by Filmmaker Gerry Orz
- The short film “Day of Silence”
- Appearances before the California State Senate, speaking on the topic of bullying
ABOUT GERRY ORZ
12-year-old Gerry Orz is a nationally-recognized anti-bullying advocate, as well as a writer, director, producer and founder of “Kids Resource”, a national non-profit organization created to educate children and their families about safety, bullying and other significant issues they may face in their young lives. After producing “Day of Silence” to raise awareness about the potential consequences of bullying, he brought the issue to the California State Senate and has been the recipient of four Senate resolutions, including the proclamation that 12/12/12 would be a Bullying Prevention Awareness Day in the state of California. Gerry’s campaigns, movies and PSAs have already helped many families, and the success of the 12/12/12 initiative prompted Gerry to organize a national anti-bullying day each year. Stimulating conversation, action and political resolutions, Gerry was recently the youngest finalist in the history of the Violence Prevention Coalition Peace Award.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Catalog #: TDC-DV-116
Running Time: 32 minutes + 30 minutes of bonus material
Genre: Documentary
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Audio: Dolby Stereo 2.0
SRP: $16.98 U.S.
ABOUT TDC ENTERTAINMENT
New York City-based TDC Entertainment is a diversified home entertainment distributor headed by longtime industry veterans Gary Baddeley and Dan Gurlitz. TDC combines the distinctive film collections of three label imprints: disinformation®, True Mind and Shelter Island. With a focus on films that cover social, political and environmental issues, as well as subjects that range from ethics and health to personal growth and history, TDC’s highly acclaimed library includes Robert Greenwald’s political documentaries such as Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price and Outfoxed, the Emmy®-winning film Journey of the Universe, and the compelling issue-oriented docs Tapped, Killer at Large, Greedy Lying Bastards and Unacceptable Levels, as well as the best-selling Parents Choice Award-winning instructional series, Drawing with Mark. For more information, visit TDCent.com.
