Sundance Channel to Air Premiere of 'A Summer in the Cage' October 22 at 9 PM e/p

Sundance Channel to Air Premiere of 'A Summer in the Cage' October 22 at 9 PM e/p

Groundbreaking New Documentary Reveals Personal Story of Manic Depression

NEW YORK, Sept. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- 34lukefilms and Sundance Channel present the world premiere of "A Summer in the Cage" on October 22nd at 9:00 p.m. e/p. The gripping 82-minute documentary follows the friendship and eventual explosive downfall of a documentary filmmaker and his embattled subject, who is diagnosed with manic-depressive illness.

"A Summer in the Cage" will premiere on Sundance Channel on October 22nd at 9:00 p.m. e/p with encore airings on October 27th at 3:30 p.m. and Oct 30 at 11:00 a.m.

In "A Summer in the Cage," New York filmmaker Ben Selkow chronicles his friend Sam's battle with manic-depressive illness, also known as bipolar disorder. The film follows Sam for seven years as he suffers delusional manic episodes, battles paralyzing depressions, and tries to escape the legacy of his bipolar father who committed suicide when Sam was eight years old. By showing the difficult emotional impact of being bipolar on Sam, his family, all those who care about him and the filmmaker, "A Summer in the Cage" puts a human face on an illness that affects millions of American families. But as this dramatic story unfolds and heads to an explosive standoff, it also becomes a unique tale about friendship and the ethical responsibilities of a documentary filmmaker, ultimately asking, when do you turn off the camera?

Journalist Pete Earley, author of "Crazy," calls "A Summer in the Cage": "...One of the most powerful documentaries that I have seen. I do not know of any other filmmaker who has captured the frantic highs of mania, the devastation of depression and roller coaster of ordinary life that a person with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder experiences."

Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans -- about 2.6% of the U.S. population -- striking equally across all gender, class, ethnic, race and age groups. More than two-thirds of people with bipolar disorder have at least one close relative with bipolar or major depression.

"A Summer in the Cage" is directed, produced, and written by Ben Selkow, who also served as its director of photography. The film was edited and co- written by John Mims, and executive produced by Paola Freccero. For more information, please visit www.cagethemovie.com.

Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel is the television destination for independent-minded viewers seeking something different. Bold, uncompromising and irreverent, Sundance Channel offers audiences a diverse and engaging selection of films, documentaries, and original programs, all unedited and commercial free. Launched in 1996, Sundance Channel is a venture of NBC Universal, CBS and Robert Redford. Sundance Channel operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of encouraging artistic freedom of expression. Sundance Channel's website address is www.sundancechannel.com.

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FCMN Contact:

Source: Sundance Channel

CONTACT: Sarah Eaton, +1-212-708-8043, or Katie Lanegran,
+1-212-708-8044, katie.lanegran@sundancechannel.com, both of Sundance Channel

Web site:

http://www.sundancechannel.com/
http://www.cagethemovie.com/

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