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The Film

In this multi-award-winning documentary, fifteen-year-old Darius Weems and eleven of his best friends set off across America with the ultimate goal of getting his wheelchair customized on MTV’s Pimp My Ride. The result is a rarely seen testament to the explosive idealism of today’s youth, as well as a vivid portrayal of adventure, of brotherhood, and of the character and strength it takes to shed light on an uncertain future.

Not only does Darius Weems bravely face his own inevitable fate with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), but through his unflinching humor and his extraordinary laugh, he sparks a revolution in the lives of everyone who crosses–and then shares–his courageous path.

Part revolution, part revelation, this film proves to people of all ages how life, even when imperfect, is always worth the ride.

THE NEW INITIATIVE. THE NEW FILM?
With the launch of our “One Year…One Million DVDs” campaign, Darius Goes West is shifting gears from art to actionable cause. This shift is a result of our decision to self-distribute the film. This was not an easy decision.

Had we gone with a distributor, we may (or may not) have had the benefit of a third party marketing campaign. However, with a middle man in the equation, almost no money per DVD sale could have gone where we wanted it to go–into DMD research. By opting to self-distribute we bear the responsibility for marketing, but we also have the power to devote $17 of every DVD sale to promising DMD research. These are the results we seek:

If we sell one million DVDs without a distributor the following will happen: 1) At least one million people will become aware of this disease, 2) at least $17 million dollars will fund promising DMD research, and 3) because DVDs don’t go bad, a part of our friend and hero, Darius Weems, will live forever.

Darius turns nineteen this year. Nineteen is the same age that his brother Mario died of the same disease. Rather than focus on the pain of this loss, we are choosing to celebrate nineteen years of Darius by hitting the road and doing our best to sell one million DVDs. We need your help.

We will be recording this year’s entire journey. As this cause develops, we will post videos here on this site reflecting our adventures and progress. These videos, and the website at large, are our marketing tools. Please share them with anyone whom you believe could make a difference. One word of endorsement from a supporter is worth a thousand from any distributor.

At the end of our million DVD year (September 27, 2009), if the story is there, there will be a second film. Please help us tell tell this story by becoming a part of it. Please help us fight Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy by purchasing your copy of Darius Goes West for yourself or for a friend.