Dr. Maurice Hilleman led a revolution in vaccine innovation. But after retiring in 1995, he noticed the world around him growing complacent about the importance of vaccinations to prevent the spread of deadly disease.
The microbiologist’s work on vaccines and struggles later in life to sound the alarms are the focus of “Hilleman: A Perilous Quest to Save the World’s Children,” screening at the Wayne Theatre in Waynesboro on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m.
The documentary, honored as Best Documentary at the SCINEMA International Film Festival in 2016, is a featured film in the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation’s On Screen/In Person program.
Director Donald Rayne Mitchell will be on hand for a discussion of the movie after the screening.
Admission for the film and discussion is $10 for adults or $7 for students.
The film is a captivating portrait of one of the leading scientists of the 20th century. Hilleman grew up in rural Montana during the Great Depression before embarking on a career that would see him develop the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and invent the first-ever vaccine against human cancer.
“Hilleman: A Perilous Quest to Save the World’s Children” tells his story through interviews with Hilleman, who died in 2005, and his peers, brought to life with rare archival footage and 3-D animation that put a human face to vaccine science.
“This film is an important look at a topic that has a lot of resonance with people, particularly parents, and gives us a sense of the man behind the science of vaccinations,” said Tracy Straight, the executive director of the Wayne Theatre.
The Wayne Theatre/Ross Performing Arts Center was one of ten sites selected to present the series. On Screen/In Person is designed to bring some of the best new independent American films and their respective filmmakers to communities across the Mid-Atlantic region. The filmmakers will tour with their films and work with the host sites to develop community activities that provide audiences context and greater appreciation for their respective work and the art of film.
On Screen/In Person is a program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation made possible through the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Wayne Theatre is located at 521 W. Main St. in Waynesboro.
Details
- Direct Link: waynetheatre.org/
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Chris Graham
