Life. Support. Music. is a 2008 documentary film and is Eric Daniel Metzgar's second documentary. It premiered at the 2008 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina.
Background As Metzgar explains on the film’s website, Life. Support. Music. tells the story of Jason Crigler, a successful New York-based guitarist who, while playing a show in New York City in 2004, suffered a devastating brain injury.Post Independent, By Stina Sieg (September 24, 2008), "Film showing in Carbondale is an amazing story of recovery", accessed 01-23-2009 Boston Herald, By Daniel Gewertz (September 15, 2008), "Four years after a massive stroke, Jason Crigler is back making music ", accessed 01-23-2009 Aspen Daily News, by Damien Williamson (September 19, 2008), "Movie Review: 'Life. Support. Music.'", accessed 010=-23-2009 At the hospital after his injury, doctors told Jason’s family, "if he makes it through the night, there won’t be much left of him". Jason’s wife, Monica, pregnant at the time, recounts that she froze. "Everything completely stopped. I forgot all about [my] pregnancy. I think I left my body. I remember thinking, this cannot be true. I cannot go on without Jason".
Days passed, and Jason’s family was forced to accept the new dark reality at hand. But they refused to accept the dark future described by doubtful doctors. So in the face of wrenching despair and horrifying odds, the Criglers made a resolution, "Jason will make a full recovery".
The film features interviews with Norah Jones (who hosted a benefit concert to help defray Jason’s medical expenses), Marshall Crenshaw, Teddy Thompson and others. The film’s original music was created by Eric Liebman.
Screening Life. Support. Music. premiered at the 2008 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina. It then screened at multiple national and international festivals, including the Ashland Film Festival in Ashland, Oregon, the HotDocs Canadian International Film Festival in Toronto, Ontario, the Independent Film Festival of Boston in Boston, Massachusetts, the Jackson Hole Film Festival in Jackson, Wyoming, the Newport International Film Festival in Newport, Rhode Island, the Maine International Film Festival in Waterville, Maine, the Bioneers Moving Image Festival in San Rafael, California, Silverdocs: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary FestivalLife. Support. Music. at Silverdocs website, accessed 01-23-2009 in Washington, DC, the Festival Internazionale del Film di Roma in Rome, Italy, Camden International Film Festival in Camden, Maine, and Dokufest International Documentary Festival in Prizren, Republic of Kosova.
Awards Audience Choice Award, Independent Film Festival of Bostonfilmbaby.com, Film Overview of Life. Support. Music., accessed 01-23-2009 ENEL Cuore Award for Best Social Documentary, Rome International Film Festival Audience Choice Award, Aspen Film Festival (Carbondale, Colorado) Best Documentary (Honorable Mention), Newport International Film Festival
Release Life. Support. Music. began a theatrical run in New York City on February 6, 2009; director Eric Daniel Metzgar and subject Jason Crigler participated in Q&A sessions during the first several screenings.
The film will be broadcast in the United States on the Public Broadcasting Service's P.O.V. series beginning July 7, 2009.Life. Support. Music. at PBS's "P.O.V." website, accessed 04-16-2009
Additional sources Cinema Verdict, Review of Life. Support. Music.cinemaverdict.com, by David Johnson (December 29th, 2008), "Review: Life. Support. Music.", accessed 01-23-2009 Filmbaby, Review of Life. Support. Music.
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