FEATURE FILM DECODING ANNIE PARKER AND ITS FOCUS STAY IN THE HEADLINES

New York, NY, June 13, 2013 – It took six years to bring Decoding Annie Parker to the screen, but the timing of its appearance on the festival circuit now seems prescient. Writer/director, Steven Bernstein knew when he embarked on his journey that he was telling a story with important social impact, but the Supreme Court’s unanimous 9 -0 ruling that human genes cannot be patented, specifically BRCA1 and BRCA2, and Angelina Jolie’s BRCA positive revelations have focused the nation on the very themes that are central to this film.

Decoding Annie Parker is an independent film based on the real lives of two extraordinary women. It is the story of one of the first women to be diagnosed with the BRAC1 gene, Annie Parker, (played by Samantha Morton), a young woman who watches her mother, then sister, fall victim to breast cancer. When, later, she herself is diagnosed with the disease, she is determined to educate herself and fight back against immeasurable odds. It is also the story of Mary-Claire King, PhD (played by Academy Award-winner Helen Hunt), the equally determined geneticist who had to battle for funding and support from a disbelieving medical establishment. Dr. King’s discovery of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and their link to breast and ovarian cancer is considered one of the most important scientific discoveries of the 20^th century.

Legal and medical experts believe the Supreme Court decision will have a lasting impact on genetic testing, making tests more widely available and more affordable. Angelina Jolie’s brave and bold revelations, contemporaneously with the negation of big pharma’s ownership of patents on these genes should certainly encourage all women who face this life-threatening risk to get tested.

Meanwhile and independently, Bernstein and his production partners developed a unique and philanthropic strategy to provide additional education, support and funding for this important issue. Prior to a traditional theatrical release in the fall of 2013, they have negotiated with the non-profit BRCA Gene Awareness to conduct screenings in charitable partnerships for cancer research and public awareness. On April 2, the inaugural benefit screening took place in New York, and others during the Cannes Film Festival and the Seattle Film Festival are being followed by benefits nationwide and around the world to raise money, educate and activate their audiences.

The film was an overwhelming favorite at the Seattle Festival winning “Best of SIFF” (Top 5 Films out of 275) and “Best Actress” for Samantha Morton.

DECODING ANNIE PARKER: The film stars Helen Hunt, Samantha Morton, Aaron Paul, Alice Eve, Maggie Grace, Rashida Jones, Corey Stoll, Ben Mckenzie, Bradley Whitford, Marley Shelton and Richard Schiff. Directed by Steven Bernstein. In association with Ozymandias Productions, Rix Pix, Media House Capital, Unified Picture, Nolan McDonald Films Dorado Media & Capital. Produced by: Steven Bernstein, Clark Peterson, Keith Kjarval. Executive Producers: Johnathan Brownlee, Sahil Chanana, Nolan McDonald, Manhad Nerula, Herman Narula, Aaron Gilbert. Producers: Stuart Ross, Mary Verne.