New Documentary by Luis Macias Closely Examines Dyslexia Issues
Elgin, Illinois (PRWEB) August 26, 2013 -- In his directorial debut, Luis Macias is presenting “Embracing Dyslexia,” a revealing examination of the challenges associated with one of the world’s most common — and frequently misunderstood — learning disabilities.
The film is a thoughtful and moving exploration of dyslexia from an insider’s perspective, weaving together interviews with parents, adult dyslexics, researchers, educators and experts to provide real-life accounts of the learning disability. “Embracing Dyslexia” sheds new light on the difficulties sufferers face, the shortcomings of our current educational system and the available options for the parents of dyslexic children.
Macias began his research into the subject after learning that his son, Alejandro, has dyslexia. While Alejandro was diagnosed at an early age, he still endured years of difficulty in and out of school.
“This film was inspired largely by watching my son’s struggle,” said Macias. “Prior to his diagnosis, Alejandro’s dyslexia had a very negative impact on his academic achievement, as well as his self-esteem. As a parent witnessing my child go through these difficulties, I felt helpless. It was only after Alejandro was actually diagnosed with dyslexia that I began to understand how widespread this problem is. ‘Embracing Dyslexia’ aims to shed light on the subject in the hopes of helping others in this same situation.”
According to a PBS study, dyslexia affects about 17 percent of the total population. Unfortunately, the vast majority of those who have the learning disability remain undiagnosed, often experiencing academic shortfalls, social stigmatization and lowered self-esteem.
“With the right tools, dyslexia can be overcome,” said Macias. “One of the greatest challenges ‘Embracing Dyslexia’ looks to confront is the identification of the disability. People who don’t know they have dyslexia often just think they are stupid, but that’s certainly not the case. By sharing stories from experts in the treatment of dyslexia, parents of dyslexics and adult sufferers, this film can serve as a valuable resource to children, adults and families around the world.”
Macias is a graduate of Chicago’s Columbia College, where he majored in film and video editing. He has worked as a video editor for a suburban Chicago graphic design firm since 1997, and has produced and edited six short documentary films over the course of his career.
“Embracing Dyslexia” will premiere August 31 at the Elgin Marcus Cinema, located at 111 S. Randall Rd. in Elgin, Ill. For advance tickets, visit http://embracingdyslexiamovie.eventbrite.com. The documentary will be available online for free following its release.
Luis Macias, 847-612-9748, [email protected]
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