On Sept. 23, the ACT Human Rights Film Festival and The Lyric will bring Forget Me Not (2021) to Fort Collins for a one-night film screening and post-film discussion. The documentary and discussion will concurrently stream virtually nationwide to expand access to the event.
Forget Me Not intimately documents parents and filmmakers Olivier and Hilda Bernier story and their fight to have their son with Down syndrome educated in an integrated classroom alongside his non-disabled peers. Propelled forward by others’ struggles and successes, Forget Me Not reveals a path to a more inclusive society that starts by having diversity in the classroom.
“The desire to be included is one of humanity’s most basic needs, and that right is grossly denied to thousands of children with disabilities in the United States,” noted ACT Managing Director Beth Seymour. “Forget Me Not thoughtfully captures the need to advocate for inclusion for children with disabilities.”
Panelists will include local advocates, educators, and researchers who can share their expertise on inclusive education and how to support children with disabilities. The post-film discussion will be available to both in-person and virtual audiences.
Seymour said, “We are thrilled to be back at The Lyric for ACT Year-Round screenings. There is no better community arts space for gathering, and this collaboration brings must-see films on social justice topics to Northern Colorado throughout the year.”
ACT Year-Round launched in February 2019 as a partnership of The Lyric and ACT Human Rights Film Festival. The film series helps to sustain conversations around human rights and expands independent film programming in Northern Colorado. To increase access and inclusion, ACT Year-Round’s Forget Me Not screening will be hosted both in-person and virtually.
The Lyric’s logistic coordinator, Aaron Varnell, said, “As a community-driven events space, The Lyric is excited to collaborate with ACT Human Rights Film Festival for ACT Year-Round screenings. We hope that together we can raise awareness about issues that affect Fort Collins and beyond through film screenings and discussions.”
The film will screen in-person at The Lyric in Fort Collins on Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. It will be available for 24 hours to stream at home on the same day. Virtual and general admission tickets are $10. The Lyric is offering a discount of $8 for seniors and students for in-person tickets. Virtual and in-person tickets are not interchangeable. Please read The Lyric’s COVID-19 policy.
For more information and ticket links visit ACT Human Rights Film Festival’s website.
About Forget Me Not
Olivier Bernier, United States, 2021, English, 102 minutes
As 3-year-old Emilio is ready to start school, his family finds itself cornered in the United States’ most discriminatory education system – New York City public schools. Fighting for their right to an inclusive education, they investigate personal and inspiring stories that expose injustices against children with disabilities, a reality for more than 93 million children worldwide and nearly half of them are not in school. Forget Me Not reveals a path to a more inclusive society that starts by having diversity in the classroom.
ACT Human Rights Film Festival is a program of Colorado State University’s Department of Communication Studies. The program brings films and filmmakers from around the world to Fort Collins to connect at the intersection of culture, art, and social justice. Its seventh annual film festival will take place March 31-April 3, 2021 in Fort Collins, CO with a virtual encore festival scheduled April 4-10, 2021.
Located in north Fort Collins, The Lyric is a hub for the community’s creative endeavors. Always open to hosting new artistic projects. The Lyric is a unique destination with carefully curated and sometimes surprising art, film, food, and events.
