Cazenovia Pilot

"Murderball" quad rugby documentary film scheduled

From Cazenovia College:

Cazenovia, N.Y. – The Cazenovia College Human Services Club will sponsor a presentation of the documentary film, “MURDERBALL,” on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 8 p.m., at the Cazenovia College Theatre on Lincklaen Street in Cazenovia. A donation of at least $1 per person is requested.

Paralympic athletes in the United States receive no government funding, as do athletes in many other countries. The cost to the United States Quad Rugby Association for one sports wheelchair is $215. The Human Services Club will donate proceeds from the movie to the Association and its Paralympic team. Associate Professor Mary Handley, adviser of the Human Services Club, said, “The students hope to raise enough to provide at least one wheelchair for a qualified athlete.”

“Murderball” is about tough, highly competitive rugby players who have been forced to live life sitting down. In their own quadriplegic version of the full-contact sport, they battle each other in custom-made gladiator-like wheelchairs, pursuing gold medals and proving to themselves and to anyone who sees them in action that there is life after disability. The film won the Documentary Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize for Editing at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.

More information is on the Internet:

• United States Quad Rugby Association – www.quadrugby.com/toc.htm
• Making the Documentary – www.murderballmovie.com