Being fed up with seeing the elderly as the butt of fart jokes, sex jokes, and taking forever to cross the street jokes in American cinema and television, writing partners Eddie Levi Lee and Rebecca Wackler decided to write their own version of being old in the USA. At the ages of 82 and 73, respectively, they’re more than qualified to explore this topic. The film’s log line, “Being Old in America is Not for the Weak”, sums it up.
This short film takes The Wheelers, our elderly heroes, through an amazing odyssey of mishaps, while they are simply trying to catch the bus. When all is lost and they’ve given up, they meet a phantasmagoric old woman, who makes them laugh, but more importantly, leads them to empowerment.
12 Film Festivals, across 8 states screened “Catching the Bus” and it received 9 awards. All of the screenings included question and answer sessions and panel discussions. We found our audience they were bursting at the seams to talk about aging in our culture.
Wackler Wellness, a 501c3, non-profit corporation, founded by Rebecca Wackler in 2003, created this film to instigate discussions about issues specific to aging in the United States. We will begin to shift the paradigm about aging, moving away from the over medicating and warehousing of our aged. We will move into the belief system that aging is not a disease but a rite of passage. Can we find a path to walking our final journey with joy?
Wackler Wellness, whose mission is to elevate the lives of seniors, is the executive producer and sole owner of “Catching the Bus.”
IF YOU HAVE A VENUE WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE FILM AIRED FOLLOWED BY A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION PLEASE CONTACT US.