The movie from Peruvian director Alonso Mayo, "The Story of Luke," premiers today in the U.S. and Canada

A tremendous feat achieved by Peruvian director Alonzo Mayo, the award-winning debut screens today, April 5, in the U.S. and Canada. “The Story of Luke” is an independent film that tackles the life of a young man with autism who after being protected all his life, embarks upon the search for work and love.

“The Story of Luke” was produced by Nina Leidersdorff, Julien Favre and Fred Roos and stars Lou Taylor Pucci, who plays Luke and is accompanied by Seth Green, Cary Elwes and Kristen Bauer, among other actors.

Yesterday, April 4, The New York Times reviewed, “The film serves as a modest reminder that the challenges of autism may sometimes be no more daunting or fearsome than those that face anyone in search of an independent life.”

So far the film from Alonso Mayo has received many prizes in different international competitions in 2012, including that of the best picture in the San Diego Film Festival, Festivus Film Festival and the San Luis Obispo Film Festival. It has won four awards of best picture elected by the public at the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival, Bahamas Film Festival, SF Indie Film Festival and the Omaha Film Festival.

After today, April 5, “The Story of Luke" will be seen in 18 commercial theaters in the U.S. and Canada (Los Angeles, New York, Anchorage, Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Eatontown-NJ, Lawrence-KS, Ogden-UT, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis, Vancouver, Washington, DC). Production is also working to announce very soon the dates of its premier in all of Peru.

“The Story of Luke” is live!

In a hurry? Here's all you need to know:

- Today we're having screenings in 18 cities. Come on over! Bring friends! http://www.facebook.com/thestoryofluke/events

- And... "The Story of Luke" is now available to Rent or Buy on iTunes. Get it now! http://bit.ly/17acl8m

Have a minute? Let me tell you something about "The Story of Luke":

No studio would have ever made this movie. We very stubbornly pieced it together. Meticulously. Painstakingly. And we are proud of it. But you will never see billboards of our film plastered everywhere or ads on TV. Your siblings, parents, neighbors, friends and colleagues may very well never hear of our stubborn little movie. Unless you tell them.

We have one shot of proving that there is an audience for our film:

- By filling up those theater seats during our run, especially today: http://www.facebook.com/thestoryofluke/events

- By getting as many people as we can to rent it from iTunes this weekend: http://bit.ly/17acl8m

I guarantee you that if you give "The Story of Luke" a chance... At the very minimum... It will make you smile.

And isn't one nice long genuine smile worth at least $4.99? (the price of an iTunes Rental) Or even $11.00? (the price of a theater ticket)

Sincerely,

Alonso Mayo

Writer/Director – The Story of Luke

CASP lit up in blue for World Autism Awareness Day

As part of the World Autism Awareness Day that is held on April 2, CASP joined a proposal on lighting up their edifice in blue as a way of creating identity and promoting actions for autism awareness around the world.

It is worth mentioning that the United Nations General Assembly declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day and that the Autism Speaks organization was responsible for launching the global initiative to light the most emblematic buildings in different countries in blue in support of autism awareness.

The Peruvian initiative is part of the activities organized in April by the Association for Persons with a autism spectrum disorder to sensitize our society on issues people with autism and their families are facing today.