Join BLR, Rattapallax Films, and the World Parkinson Coalition for a viewing of the short documentary "Hal and Minter," followed by a discussion with the creative team.

Hal Sirowitz, a poet with Parkinson’s disease, is BLR's most published poet! At one time one of the most popular poets in the United States, Sirowitz was a regular on MTV and one of the original performers at the Nuyorican Poets’ Cafe. Hal and his partner, the writer Minter Krotzer, have become advocates for people with Parkinson’s disease and their families. The film is a funny and uplifting story about being a creative couple and finding your voice. Meet the director, the screenwriter, the BLR chief editor, and, of course, the stars, in the post-film discussion. 

Wednesday, September 22nd at 7 pm EST.

Free and open to the public. Join the guestlist to receive the event link.

Click here to watch the film trailer.

Hal Sirowitz is an internationally known poet and the author of five books of poetry including the best-seller, Mother Said. Hal was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and became the second poet laureate of Queens, New York, a position he held for three years.

Minter Krotzer has received writing fellowships from the New School, Bennington College, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and others. Minter has been married to the poet Hal Sirowitz since 2002, and has written extensively about living with someone with Parkinson’s Disease.

Ram Devineni directed “Hal and Minter” which premiered at the RealAbilities Film Festival. He is the creator of the comic book, Priya’s Shakti, and honored by UN Women as a “gender equality champion.”

Susan Brennan, a poet, screenwriter and activist, wrote the screenplay for "Hal and Minter." Susan has curated poetry programming (Wanderword) at Wilco’s Solid Sound Music Festival, Mass MoCA and with Parachute Literary Arts in Coney Island. she’s also staged poems with circus artists. Her film scripts, web-series and productions have premiered at Austin, Venice and Tribeca film festivals, and MoMA. www.tinycubesofice.com

Danielle Ofri is editor-in-chief of BLR, and a primary care doctor at Bellevue Hospital. Her writings appear in the New Yorker and the New York Times. Her newest book is When We Do Harm, a Doctor Confronts Medical Error. www.danielleofri.com