Tragedy didn’t dampen his zest for life.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) has announced that it will air Indian American filmmaker Jason DaSilva’s documentary “When I Walk” on its channel later this month.
“When I Walk” details the very personal story of DaSilva coming to terms with, and dealing with, the onset of Multiple Sclerosis (M.S.). At the age of just 25, DaSilva was on a family trip to the beach when, all of a sudden, he fell and realized that he could no longer move. Doctors diagnosed him with M.S., saying that he would likely never walk without assistance again, and could even lose his eyesight.
For DaSilva, the news was particularly devastating because of the fact that he is a filmmaker. For over a decade, DaSilva worked in film production, directing his own short films and two feature-length documentary projects. One of his short films, Olivia’s Puzzle, was premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and qualified for the Academy Awards; three of his films have been aired by PBS, HBO, and the CBC.
Taking advice from his mother, DaSilva decided to chronicle his experience with M.S., as his body slowly began giving in to the condition while, at the same time, he began experiencing other big events in his life – marriage being a key one of them. Based in Brooklyn, the film has taken over five years to put together, and is now ready to be seen by the public.
The film was selected as an official entry at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, and will be released theatrically in the US later this fall. But first, it will premiere on PBS on June 23, after which it will be available for streaming on-demand for a month, between September 22 and October 21, exclusively through PBS.org.
The film has been co-produced by ITVS, and is a co-presentation of the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM). The trailer for “When I Walk” can be viewed below:
3 Comments
Jason is a really good person many WORLDWIDE care about
Wow. As an MS Patient I am moved by your spirit and Strong will to continue to move forward. You and your wife are special people. I feel I’m a better person just by discovering you exist.
Wow. As an MS Patient I am moved by your spirit and Strong will to continue to move forward. You and your wife are special people. I feel I’m a better person just by discovering you exist.