Unconditional
| UNCONDITIONAL | |
|---|---|
| File:UNCONDITIONAL Poster Final.png Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Richard Lui |
| Produced by |
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| Music by | Maria Lineva |
| Cinematography | Eliana Alvarez Martinez |
| Edited by |
|
Production company | Prisca |
| Distributed by |
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Release date | May 2, 2023 (World Premiere at Universal Studios Hollywood) |
Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.5 million (USD) |
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UNCONDITIONAL is a 2023 American documentary film from award-winning filmmaker Richard Lui. Seven years in the making, it profiles three families at the intersection of mental health and caregiving as they turn the corner, showing the power of relearning how to love.[1] The film is widely considered the first-of-its-kind feature documentary because of its focus on mental health and caregiving in military families.[2]
The film will hold its World Premiere at Universal Studios Hollywood on May 2, 2023. The documentary is the most widely-distributed of 2023. It will be released in select theaters nationwide through a theatrical community partnership of AMC Theatres, Universal Pictures and Deluxe.[3][4] It is expected to be qualified for the 96th Academy Awards.[5] The film will be broadcast in May on public television stations nationwide by distributor American Public Television.[6]
Synopsis
The film follows director Richard Lui on a journey to explore how mental health can be a source of hidden wounds and hidden strengths.[4]
- Bushatz Family (Palmer, Alaska): Luke Bushatz struggles with PTSD and a traumatic brain injury from his deployment in Afghanistan. At home, his young sons and wife, Amy, share in his struggles and work to understand.
- Thomas Family (Alexandria, Virginia): Mental health expert Kate Hendricks Thomas must prepare herself, her husband Shane, and their five-year-old son for her terminal breast cancer diagnosis.
- Lui Family (San Francisco, California): As social worker and pastor Stephen Lui battles his eighth year of Alzheimer’s, his wife and children face their own struggles to do the right thing.
Production
The film is executive produced by journalist and founder of the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement Maria Shriver, television personality Montel Williams, Olympian Laurie Hernandez, and Hilarity for Charity Co-Founder Lauren Miller Rogen.[7]
Filming
The film was shot in the cinéma vérité style over the course of seven years. The filmmakers logged over 50,000 miles to return to film each of the families several times in order to explore how each family adapted with new caregiving and mental wellness challenges.[5]
Half of the film’s $1.5M budget came in the form of in-kind contributions from the film’s 70 person crew. 94% of spending by the production on contractors was invested in minority/female crew, including the film’s all-women field crew.[5]
UNCONDITIONAL reunited much of the crew and film team behind 2020’s Sky Blossom, which profiled five children as they grew up caring for military veterans living with disabilities.[8][9]
Music
Composer Maria Lineva wrote unique leitmotifs for each of the three families, providing each family with its own musical identity. The score was recorded with an ensemble of session musicians.[5]
After watching country musician Jay Allen perform on NBC’s The Voice and hearing his song “Blank Stares,” about Allen’s mother’s diagnosis with early-onset Alzheimer’s, the filmmakers approached country musician Allen to write an original song for the film, “Break from Broken” which appears in the film’s credits and on the film’s soundtrack.[5]
Post-Production
Producers Alex Lo and Richard Lui consulted with researchers from Boston University’s CTE Center to create the animations in the film that show the experience of PTSD and TBI.[10][5] Digital animation was also used to add in dandelions which appear in shots throughout the film, taking inspiration from wisps filmed by the crew on location in Alaska, and the feather in Forrest Gump. The dandelion was used to symbolize “life’s changes as the winds blow,” according to the filmmakers, and features heavily in the film’s promotional materials.[5]
Release
The documentary is the most widely-distributed of 2023, with theatrical, broadcast and streaming releases beginning in May 2023 in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Month of the Military Caregiver, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Women's Health Month.[11]
First Cut Screening & World Premiere
The filmmakers held an early “first cut” screening for friends and sponsors of the film with the working title "Hidden Wounds" at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on July 13th, 2022.[12][5] The filmmakers then continued to edit the film before its World Premiere at Universal Studios Hollywood on May 2, 2023.[13] Actress and activist Tamlyn Tomita hosted the event, with Caring Across Generations ambassador Yvette Nicole Brown delivering remarks.[14] The Premiere was promoted by a feature interview segment on NBC’s TODAY the same day with Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones, Craig Melvin, and Dylan Dreyer.[2]
Theatrical Release
The film was released in theaters through community partnerships with AMC Theatres, Universal Pictures Distribution, and Deluxe in 14 major markets nationwide from May 3 to 9.[1] Donations were made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Elizabeth Dole Foundation, and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers for each ticket sold.[3]
Broadcast
The film was broadcast on public television throughout May 2023, presented by American Public Television. The film reached a 94% national market share, setting a new carriage record.[6] It will air nationally on PBS WORLD Channel on May 17, 2023.[15]
Soundtrack
The film’s original soundtrack will be released for Memorial Day 2023. The film’s original soundtrack features two original songs: “Break from Broken” by Jay Allen, and “Inner Forces,” performed by Maria Lineva.[16]
Response
The film is supported by a bipartisan group of Members of the United States Congress, including Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senator John Boozman, Senator Jon Tester, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, and Senator Diane Feinstein.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Unconditional at AMC Theatres, 2023-05-02, retrieved 2023-04-28
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "MSNBC's Richard Lui talks directing powerful doc 'Unconditional'". TODAY.com. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Prisca. "'UNCONDITIONAL' NATIONWIDE MOVIE RELEASE KICKS OFF WITH WORLD PREMIERE AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Monji, Jana (2023-05-03). "Review: NBC's Richard Lui struggles with parental care in new film". AsAmNews. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 "UNCONDITIONAL Press Kit". unconditionalmovie.com. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "UNCONDITIONAL: HEALING HIDDEN WOUNDS". APTonline.org. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
- ↑ "Unconditional", Metacritic, retrieved 2023-05-04
- ↑ "UNCONDITIONAL | Official Movie Site". unconditionalmovie.com. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ↑ "Sky Blossom: About the Documentary". Sky Blossom. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ↑ "UNCONDITIONAL -- An Optimistic Reminder to Take Care of Ourselves and Those We Love". disappointment media. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ↑ "Docs: "Unconditional" Spotlights the Heartrending Difficulties of Caregiving". Golden Globes. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
- ↑ Bauer, Robert. "Hidden Wounds". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ↑ Amy Bushatz (May 2, 2023). "Outdoor Diary: We're in a New Movie. Here's How You Can See It". Humans Outside. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ↑ Twitter https://twitter.com/beunconditional/status/1653550496253108227. Retrieved 2023-05-04. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ "Beyond a Singular Identity: Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month on WORLD". WORLD Channel. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ↑ Prisca. "'UNCONDITIONAL' NATIONWIDE MOVIE RELEASE KICKS OFF WITH WORLD PREMIERE AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
External links
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