FIRST RUN FEATURES ACQUIRES NEW DOCUMENTARY THE QUIET EPIDEMIC PRIOR TO OSCAR-QUALIFYING RUN OPENS DECEMBER 2, 2022 at NYC's IFC CENTER
The film is set for nationwide release in early 2023
Official selection of the upcoming DOC NYC
"Through its masterful storytelling, The Quiet Epidemic does what any good investigative doc should do – it informs, infuriates, breaks your heart, and fills you with hope." -Awards Daily
"...enraging, exhaustive and entirely terrifying documentary..." -Midwest Film Journal
New York, NY November 3, 2022 – First Run Features has acquired
U.S. distribution rights to The Quiet Epidemic, the provocative feature documentary about Chronic Lyme and tick-borne disease. The film will begin a one-week Oscar-qualifying run at the IFC Center in New York City on December 2 followed by a nationwide rollout in early 2023.
“The Quiet Epidemic is an alarming documentary which everyone needs to see to understand the monumental risk Lyme disease presents across the country. The filmmakers have done a masterful job at weaving history, patient stories and scientific information into a call to action,” states Marc Mauceri, President of First Run Features.
The Quiet Epidemic follows a young girl from Brooklyn and a Duke University scientist both diagnosed with a disease said to not exist: Chronic Lyme disease. Their search for answers lands them in the middle of a vicious medical debate. What begins as a patient story evolves into an investigation into the history of Lyme disease, dating back to its discovery in 1975. A paper trail of suppressed scientific research and buried documents reveal why ticks—and the diseases they carry—have been allowed to quietly spread around the globe.
NBC recently released a bombshell report that 14% of the world has had Lyme disease. A new Lyme disease vaccine, VLA 15, has now entered phase 3 clinical trials, following the controversial Lymerix vaccine that was pulled from the market in 2002.
“We're thrilled to partner with First Run Features to bring The Quiet Epidemic to audiences nationwide. The response from our film festival screenings has been incredibly encouraging. The film is already making an impact, and in many ways, this is just the beginning,” states co-directors Lindsay Keys and Winslow Crane-Murdoch.
The Quiet Epidemic premiered in May in the prestigious ‘Special Presentations’ category at the Hot Docs Festival in Toronto where it was voted into the Audience Top 20. At the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society Doc Week, the filmmakers participated in a Q&A following the screening to an emotional full house. The film won Best Documentary Feature at the Macon Film Festival and was an official selection of 14 film festivals this fall including the Woodstock, Hamptons and Mill Valley Film Festivals (full list here).
The award-winning production team includes Co-Directors Lindsay Keys and Winslow Crane-Murdoch and Producers Chris Hegedus (The War Room) and Daria Lombroso (Most Likely To Succeed); Editor Mark Harrison (The Lion's Share) and Supervising Editor Doug Blush (Icarus, 20 Feet From Stardom). The Quiet Epidemic is Keys' and Crane-Murdoch's feature film debut. TRT 100 mins.
