UC Irvine and CureDuchenne to host free screening of ‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’ Friday, Sept. 18, at the Rivian South Coast Theater in Laguna Beach

 MEDIA ADVISORY

 

UC Irvine and CureDuchenne to host free screening of ‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’

 

EVENT: The UC Irvine Muscle Biology and Disease Research Center and CureDuchenne will host a free community screening of the award-winning documentary “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin” during Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month. The event will bring together scientists, clinicians, patients, families and community members to raise awareness of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and highlight advances in muscle disease research, clinical trials and care.

 

The documentary tells the story of Mats Steen, a young man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy whose family discovered after his death at age 25 that he had built a vibrant community and deep friendships through the online game “World of Warcraft.” It explores disability, connection and the impact of online communities.

 

WHEN/WHERE: Friday, Sept. 18, at the Rivian South Coast Theater in Laguna Beach. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., and the film begins at 7 p.m.

 

INFORMATION: The event is free and open to the public, including UC Irvine affiliates. Register at events.rivian.com/theremarkablelifeofibelin.

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

6:15 p.m. Doors open. Attendees can meet UC Irvine muscle scientists and physicians and visit educational exhibits, research demonstrations and resource tables hosted by UC Irvine and CureDuchenne. Select items will be available for purchase throughout the evening, with proceeds benefiting the event. Researchers and clinicians will share information about current clinical trials and advances in muscle biology and neuromuscular disease.

 

7 p.m. Screening of “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin”

After the film: Panel discussion and audience Q&A featuring researchers, clinicians and patient advocates

 

BACKGROUND: Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive neuromuscular disease. The Sept. 18 event is intended to connect the experiences of patients and families with the scientists, clinicians and advocates working to advance research, treatments and care for Duchenne and other muscle diseases.

 

“The Remarkable Life of Ibelin” premiered in 2024 at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won two awards in the World Cinema Documentary Competition – the Audience Award and the Directing Award. It also won a Peabody Award.

 

Muscular dystrophy and other muscle-wasting diseases represent a significant clinical research portfolio within the UCI School of Medicine. The UC Irvine Medical Center currently has eight active clinical trials for muscular dystrophies, including gene therapy studies and those evaluating the safety and efficacy of emerging treatments.

 

Established in 2023, the UC Irvine Muscle Biology and Disease Research Center promotes research, clinical translation and education in skeletal muscle biology. Directed by Armando Villalta, Ph.D., the interdisciplinary center brings together about 80 scientists, clinicians and trainees from across UC Irvine to accelerate discoveries in muscle regeneration and neuromuscular disease. It’s expanding education and workforce development through graduate courses, collaborative research initiatives and a National Institutes of Health-supported T32 training program for future muscle biologists and physician-scientists.

 

CureDuchenne, headquartered in Newport Beach, is a global nonprofit dedicated to improving and extending the lives of people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. For more than two decades, the organization has invested in early-stage research to help advance potential therapies into human clinical trials while expanding access to expert care, education and resources for families.

 

The event is supported by a UC Irvine Campus-Community Collaboration Incubator award.

 

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For UC Irvine breaking news, visit news.uci.edu.

Coming up August 19th at 9:30am - MILCK — aka Connie K. Lim — joins Janeane to talk about La Jolla Playhouse’s world-premiere musical The Family Album.

MILCK and AG (Adrianne Gonzalez) wrote the music and lyrics for this powerful and uplifting new musical about finding your voice, confronting the past, healing, and using your voice for change.

MILCK — aka Connie K. Lim — joins Janeane to talk about La Jolla Playhouse’s world-premiere musical The Family Album.

MILCK and AG (Adrianne Gonzalez) wrote the music and lyrics for this powerful and uplifting new musical about finding your voice, confronting the past, healing, and using your voice for change.

We’ll talk about the inspiration behind The Family Album, the creative process of bringing her story to the stage, and what it means to find — and reclaim — your voice.

📻 Wednesday, August 19 | 9:30am

Don’t miss the conversation with MILCK!

#MILCK #ConnieKLim #TheFamilyAlbum #LaJollaPlayhouse #MusicalTheatre #FindingYourVoice #GetTheFunkOut

The Family Album

La Jolla Playhouse | The Family Album - La Jolla Playhouse

Aury Krebs (left) and Claire Kwon in La Jolla Playhouse’s world-premiere musical
THE FAMILY ALBUM;
photo by Rich Soublet II.
Photo courtesy of La Jolla Playhouse - PR Becky Biegelsen

Aury Krebs (front) with Paul Nakauchi and Jodi Long
 in La Jolla Playhouse’s world-premiere musical THE FAMILY ALBUM;
photo by Rich Soublet II.

Book by Sam Chanse

Music and Lyrics by MILCK (aka Connie K. Lim) and AG (aka Adrianne Gonzalez)

Conceived by MILCK and Jess McLeod

Story by Sam Chanse, MILCK and Jess McLeod

Directed by Jess McLeod

 

Singer-songwriter Mia Bing has been hustling for years and is on the cusp of breaking through in the music industry. Just as she receives the call that could change her career, she’s pulled back to her childhood home, where she’s once again the “disappointing” daughter of her Asian immigrant parents, still haunted by an unresolved secret. Mia must learn to use her voice to confront and heal from the past.

(L-R) Marc delaCruz, Aury Krebs and Courtney Reed in
La Jolla Playhouse’s world-premiere musical
THE FAMILY ALBUM; photo by Rich Soublet II.

In 2017, MILCK and AG’s “Quiet” became a viral sensation around the world as an anthem of the Women’s March. That same spirit inspired them and acclaimed playwright Sam Chanse to draw on each of their personal stories to create The Family Album, a humorous and poignant original musical about finding and reclaiming your voice and using it for change.

 

Commissioned by La Jolla Playhouse, The Family Album features a soulful power-pop score by MILCK and two-time Tony Award nominee AG (The Lost Boys). Director Jess McLeod is known for work that blends emotional intimacy with expansive visual storytelling. This powerful, uplifting new musical is a journey through the healing power of connection. It will hit you right in the heart.

 

MILCK (aka Connie K. Lim) (Music and Lyrics)
is a singer/songwriter/recording artist and humanitarian who pens anthems for healing, bridge building, and freedom. Her breakout anthem “Quiet” was named a Billboard #1 protest song, NPR’s featured “American Anthems,” and a top feminist anthem of all time by Harper’s Bazaar. In 2025 Elle UK named MILCK as a top 40 Women of Hope. MILCK composes anthemic songs for film, television, and artists; from John Legend to Natasha Bedingfield. MILCK has since gone viral with another song titled “Sisters of Winter,” which is featured on the ACLU’s 2026 national campaign. 

Joining Janeane Wednesday August 19th at 9:00am - Filmmaker Doug Pray & KCRW's David Greene discuss their timely and powerful film, Louder than Guns

 

Directed by: Doug Pray Written by: David Greene, Ketch Secor Edited by: Doug Pray Produced by: Stephanie Meurer, Ashley York, Doug Pray Executive Produced by: Ketch Secor, David Greene, Foster Phillips   RT: 89 minutes   “Thought-Provoking, Poignant, A Must See” Janet Walker, Haute-Lifestyle   “Easily one of the most important films of 2026” Steve Kopian, Unseen Films   “A perspective that feels almost radical in a media landscape built on outrage” Chris Jones, Overly Honest Movie Reviews We’re having the conversation…   In the wake of yet another mass shooting, this time at The Covenant School in Nashville, Ketch Secor, lead singer of the popular country-bluegrass band Old Crow Medicine Show, decided it was time to speak out on gun reform. He wrote an op-ed in the New York Times entitled, “Country Music Can Lead America Out of Its Obsession with Guns.” It caught the attention of Ketch’s friend, David Greene, former NPR reporter and host of KCRW’s “Left, Right & Center,” and the two set out to kickstart an open dialog about gun rights and gun violence in America. Film director Doug Pray followed Ketch and David as the band toured rural and urban communities, creating the documentary LOUDER THAN GUNS named after a song Ketch wrote for the victims of the Covenant shooting.   Known for their signature song “Wagon Wheel,” Old Crow Medicine Show attracts a wide demographic of music fans, stretching to the furthest ends of today’s culture wars. People in the front row of their concerts might not agree on anything besides the music they love, providing this film with one of modern America’s rarest opportunities: the chance to engage with one another respectfully, despite our differences.   Smashing stereotypes, LOUDER THAN GUNS brings together the frustrations and hopes of citizens who are asked to listen to one another and try to find common ground. Led by Ketch and David, these emotional and inspiring discussions, in barbeque joints, barbershops, church pews, gun stores, and concert halls, prove that localized, community-led discourse has the power to move the needle on gun reform in ways that today’s polarized media and politicians rarely achieve. Because most people in this country—gun owners and non-gun owners alike— want safer communities.   LOUDER THAN GUNS screened in LA on July 28 at Laemmle’s Monica Theater and on July 29 at Laemmle’s Glendale Theater.    To view the trailer, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKewN_PayUY Official website: https://www.louderthanguns.com About Doug Pray Doug Pray is an award-winning Los Angeles-based documentary filmmaker, director, producer and editor known for films that explore maverick individuals, subcultures, creativity and the human stories behind complex issues. His documentaries include Hype!, Scratch, Infamy, Big Rig, Surfwise, the Emmy Award-winning Art & Copy, Levitated Mass, and Love, Lizzo. He also served as executive producer, writer and editor of HBO's acclaimed The Defiant Ones, which won a Grammy for Best Music Film. Pray's newest documentary, Louder Than Guns, explores America's deeply divided conversation around gun violence through music, storytelling and face-to-face dialogue. Following the Covenant School shooting in Nashville, the film follows Old Crow Medicine Show's Ketch Secor and journalist David Greene as they travel across the country bringing people with differing views together to listen and talk. Born in Denver and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, Pray studied sociology at Colorado College before earning an MFA in producing and directing from UCLA's School of Film and Television. His work frequently focuses on people and communities that don't fit neatly into conventional categories, making him particularly interested in how storytelling can create understanding across differences. About David Greene Host of Left, Right & Center on KCRW David Greene is the host of KCRW's Left, Right & Center, as well as Sports in America from PRX and WHYY and the podcast David Greene is Obsessed. Greene hosted NPR's Morning Edition for more than a decade and helped launch the popular morning news podcast UpFirst. Before Morning Edition, he was NPR’s Moscow Bureau Chief, covering the region from Ukraine and the Baltics east to Siberia. He also took two trips across the Trans-Siberian Railway and published a New York Times best-selling book about the journeys called Midnight in Siberia, giving readers a nuanced look at Russian life under Vladimir Putin. Greene was previously a White House Correspondent for NPR and The Baltimore Sun during the George W. Bush administration.

Coming up 8/12 - Dayna Altman - a dynamic mental health speaker, entrepreneur and advocate joins host Janeane on KUCI 88.9fm

Miss today's show?

LISTEN HERE

Dayna Altman is an energetic and dynamic mental health speaker, entrepreneur and advocate. The full force and sole operator of Bake it Till You Make it LLC, Dayna harvests her
passion for mental health advocacy by using food and baking to create an authentic recipe for vulnerable storytelling.


The author of five mental health cookbooks, the facilitator of a variety of mental health presentations and the subject of an award winning documentary, Dayna is a sought after storyteller. She has been invited to speak at national conferences, in community kitchens, on the news and most notably, at the White House in 2022.


With experience working in both clinical and advocacy mental health settings, Dayna’s breadth of knowledge in the field informs her work, as does her own recovery. Today, Dayna lives with major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and is in lifelong eating disorder recovery. When she’s not testing out new recipes in her kitchen or quoting her therapists, Dayna is in pursuit of creating art as a means to explore new ways to change the world using her own story.

Joining Janeane on 8/12/26 at 9:00am - Co-Founders of Neighbors Who Nourish: Aafiya Mahmood & Yeshwi Sharma

Miss today's show?
LISTEN HERE

The mission of Neighbors Who Nourish is to  bring communities together by nurturing meaningful connections and providing mental health resources to those facing food insecurity. 

Below is our instagram page highlighting the various events they have had so far: 

https://www.instagram.com/neighbors.who.nourish?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Aafiya Mahmood
Age: 16

Co-Founder, Neighbors Who Nourish
Aafiya is a student and co-founder of Neighbors Who Nourish, a youth-led initiative focused on addressing food insecurity while strengthening mental well-being and community connection.

Yeshwi Sharma
Age: 17

Co-Founder, Neighbors Who Nourish
Yeshwi is a student and co-founder of Neighbors Who Nourish, working alongside Aafiya to bring families together through food, mental wellness activities, and community-based support.

How We Got Started
Neighbors Who Nourish grew out of our personal connections to food insecurity, mental health, and the isolation that can come with both problems. We realized that food could be more than something people simply receive, it could be a pathway to bring people together. We began hosting community events centered around shared meals, family activities, and mental wellness conversations. Our goal was turning food from a source of stress into a source of connection. We also provide SNAP-friendly cookbooks and mental wellness resources to help people beyond their events.


About Neighbors Who Nourish
Neighbors Who Nourish is a youth-led initiative addressing food insecurity while strengthening mental well-being and community connection. 

In two months, we have directly impacted 1,170 people and distributed 1,000+ mental health resources and SNAP-friendly cookbooks. Our work brings together three connected pieces: food security, mental wellness, and community. Through SNAP-friendly cooking demonstrations and bilingual cookbooks, families gain practical nutrition resources. In addition, through community mental health activities, they have opportunities to express themselves and support one another. Through shared meals and activities, those conversations become genuine connections. They have brought these events to people ages 6-80+

What We’d Like Listeners to Know
We want listeners to know that food insecurity isn’t only about whether someone has enough food; it can also bring stress, isolation, and uncertainty. We believe community can help anyone, regardless of their circumstances, and that no one should have to carry their struggles alone. 

Through Neighbors Who Nourish, we use food as a starting point for connection, creating spaces where people can feel supported, build relationships, and become more comfortable talking about their mental well-being.

Joining Janeane on this week's show: Dr. Sagar V. Parikh, MD, FRCPC - John F. Greden Professor of Depression and Clinical Neuroscience Professor of Psychiatry and Head, Depression Program, Michigan Medicine Co-head, Workplace Mental Health Solutions, Eisenberg Family Depression Center University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

LISTEN to today's show 
with Sagar V. Parikh, MD, FRCPC

www.nndc.org  Email: parikhsa@umich.edu

ABOUT Sagar V. Parikh, MD, FRCPC

Sagar V. Parikh, M.D., FRCPC is the John F. Greden Professor of Depression and Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. As a psychiatrist and former family physician, he focuses on diverse mood disorder treatments: novel medications including psychedelics, psychotherapy, digital tools, ketamine, and TMS.  He conducts research on how to improve health care delivery as well as how to improve public and clinician education about mood disorders. 

He also works extensively in Workplace Mental Health, identifying best practices for businesses and workplaces to prevent and treat burnout and mental health problems.  He is Medical Director of the National Network of Depression Centers (USA) and a prolific author, with 3 books and over 200 articles on research and treatment of mental disorders.  He has won multiple national and international awards for education, teaching, and research. 

Education Chair, CANMAT (Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments)

Knowledge Translation (KT) Lead and Co-Investigator, CAN-BIND Research Program

canbind.ca

Treating Depression - What Can We Do?


The CAN-BIND Depression Network & the CAN-BIND STUDY


The Canadian Biomarker Integration Network in Depression (CAN-BIND) is a national program of research and learning. CAN-BIND is discovering ways to identify the right treatment for the right person in order to help individuals with depression get well quickly, and stay well. Learn more about depression care and research advances in this educational video. Find out more: https://www.canbind.ca

His recent podcast about AI and mental health:           
 https://soundcloud.com/can-bind/artificialintelligence-part1

 

His 3 minute animated video about how we are looking for biomarkers of depression to guide treatment.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtJJgxBToWk&t=22s

 

Workplace Mental Health Conference on August 5, 2026.

The Workplace Mental Health Conference is an annual online event that brings together professionals from diverse fields who want to improve employee mental health and well-being.

In its seventh year, the Workplace Mental Health Conference looks at the latest trends in workplace mental well-being. Experts share new programs, successful initiatives, and proven practices that help organizations stay healthy and productive.

This year’s sessions will help organizations address wellness challenges, support teams of all ages, build connections, encourage inclusion and integrate technology to enhance employee well-being.Dr. Sagar V. Parikh serves as Co-Lead of Workplace Mental Health Solutions at the University of Michigan's Eisenberg Family Depression Center.
He delivers the Welcome & Opening Remarks at the start of the conference alongside Danielle Taubman, MPH.

The keynote speaker is:

Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks, PhD, William Russell Kelly Professor of Business Administration, presenting:

"Human Mode, Always: Collaborative Practices that Enhance Connection, Meaning and Impact."
His keynote focuses on building authentic human connection, psychological safety, and addressing loneliness and disengagement in the workplace.

Joining Janeane Wednesday July 29th: Austin Cauldwell talks about his Powerful Short Doc Co-directed with Nat Wolff - “WHERE WE PLAYED: VOICES FROM THE FIRE." The Film competes for Oscar Qualification at FLICKERS RHODE ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL 2026

LISTEN to today's show 
featuring
Austin Cauldwell

Austin Cauldwell is a Los Angeles–based writer/director/actor and acting teacher. His short film IDYLL premiered at the Florida Film Festival in April 2026. He has appeared in various stage, film, and TV roles.

                                     photo credit: Deborah Gilels LA Media Consultants

In January 2025, devastating wildfires swept through Los Angeles. Through firsthand interviews, children reflect on what they experienced, what they lost, what they carried with them, and how their lives have been forever changed; while simultaneously holding onto hope for what comes next.

Co-directed by Nat Wolff and Austin Cauldwell, the film was produced by Mina Sundwall and her company Zenosyne Media, along with Eliza Paprin and Julia Pitch, who also served as Cinematographer. The film was edited by Ben Schwaeber.

According to Wolff and Cauldwell:

“In the wake of the fires, much of the conversation focused on what had been lost: homes, schools, and a sense of stability. What felt missing were the voices of the children living through it. Rather than speaking about them, we wanted to listen to them. So we set out to create a space where kids and families could share their experiences in their own words. 

What we found was not only grief, but resilience, optimism, and humor. Even in the aftermath of tragedy, these children continue to imagine, adapt, and grow. Their stories reminded us that they are not just witnesses to disaster, but rather, they are participants in the future being shaped around them.

Our hope is that this film encourages audiences to think about the world we are leaving for our children. It will be their world. They deserve to have a voice in it.”

 

Austin Cauldwell is a Los Angeles based writer, director, actor, and acting teacher. His short film Idyll, which he wrote and directed, premiered at Florida International Film Festival earlier this year and was an official selection at Fantasia Film Festival and Edinburgh International Film Festival. As an actor, he has worked on stage, most notably opposite Edie Falco in the Off Broadway production of The True. His TV credits include Switched at Birth (ABC Family), NCIS, NCIS: New Orleans, and Monster.

About Nat Wolff and Austin Cauldwell — Where We Played: Voices from the Fire

About the Film

The project documents the experiences of children during the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. Through firsthand interviews, the film captures what the children lost, what they carried with them, and how their lives have changed — while also highlighting their resilience, optimism, and humor. The directors aimed to give voice to the children who were often absent from public discussions about the disaster, focusing on their personal stories rather than just the aftermath 

Creative Team

THE DIRECTORS: Nat Wolff and Austin Cauldwell


Producers: Mina Sundwall, Eliza Paprin, Julia Pitch (Pitch also served as cinematographer)


Editor: Ben Schwaeber


Presented by: Zenosyne Media 

About the Directors

Nat Wolff is an American actor, musician, and writer/director. He is known for films such as The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, and Palo Alto, and for composing music for The Naked Brothers Band. He has also directed short films like Youngest, which was a HollyShorts Film Festival favorite seligfilmnews.com+1.

Austin Cauldwell is a Los Angeles–based writer/director/actor and acting teacher. His short film IDYLL premiered at the Florida Film Festival in April 2026. He has appeared in various stage, film, and TV roles

For tickets: Burbank International Film Festival 2026

Burbank International Film Festival 2026