Facing the Wind : Film Screening and Talk - Lewy Body Dementia

Facing the Wind follows two women, whose lives are irrevocably changed by their husbands’ diagnosis with Lewy body dementia. (LBD) —a widespread, but little-known condition, that afflicted the famous comedian/actor Robin Williams.

To help address the lack of information about the disease, Linda Szypula helps start a podcast that grows into a unique online support community. There she meets Carla Preyer and they bond deeply over their shared challenges and dark humor. As their husbands begin to disappear into dementia, their connection to each other—and to their extraordinary support group—helps them cope with their grief, rise to the overwhelming demands of caregiving and emerge whole on the other side.

This event, which is also cosponsored by the Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center ( lbdny.org) will feature the one hour film and a talk with director Deirdre Fishel and founding director of the LBD Resource Center, Norma Loeb. It will be preceded by light refreshments.

This is an in-person event, with ASL and CART, in an accessible building and room on the City College of NY Campus, Shepard Hall Room 259 Convent Avenue at 140th Street Room 291 (2nd floow). #1 to 137th Street or ABCD to 145th Street. Accessible route: #6 to 125 street, then M101 to 140th Street. ID required to enter the building.

Deirdre Fishel has directed documentaries and dramas that have been broadcast in 35 countries worldwide. Her feature doc Women in Blue (2020) co-produced with ITVS and funded by the Tribeca Institute and IDA, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was broadcast on PBS’ Independent Lens. Fishel’s other projects include the MacArthur and Ford foundation funded Care, which premiered at Sheffield Doc Fest, the groundbreaking documentary STILL DOING IT: The Intimate Lives of Women Over 65 which premiered at SXSW, Suicide on Campus a web documentary produced in conjunction with The New York Times Magazine, and Risk, a dramatic feature which premiered in competition at Sundance. Fishel is a professor and Director of the BFA in film at the City College of New York.

NORMA LOEB is Founder and Executive Director of the Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center (LBDRC). Norma’s knowledge and experience with Lewy body dementia began with the personal care of her mother, Lillian, who had LBD for many years. Norma has been facilitating the only New York Metro area LBD caregivers support groups since 2008. She now also leads national groups for people living with LBD as well as for caregivers. Norma worked as executive assistant to the CFO at The New York Times Company for over 20 years. While there, she served as chairperson of the work/life committee of The New York Times’ women’s affinity group and initiated and ran their eldercare support group.

Host or Publisher Third World Newsreel and the Documentary Forum at CCNY