Filmmakers lend their talents to the tale of one patient with an undiagnosed condition

Representatives of University of Utah Health hosted a panel discussion in 2018 at the Sundance Film Festival, part of the organization’s sponsorship of the event. The panel brought scientists and filmmakers together to discuss “why scientists and artists should work more closely together to broadly communicate advances in knowledge.” The collaboration that resulted has earned first place in the “Video” category of PR Daily’s 2019 Digital Marketing & Social Media Awards.

“One in a Million” is the documentary tale of Tyler, a healthy child until the age of six, when he began exhibiting symptoms of a problem that today leaves him speechless and confined to a wheelchair; it was the University of Utah Health’s team that was able to identify the genetic disorder and begin treatment to improve Tyler’s quality of life.

Two acclaimed filmmakers were attracted to the Sundance event, as was the president of a foundation that provides grants to nonprofits working in health care, among other sectors. The filmmakers spent a week in Utah shooting the video; editing was complete in time for another Sundance panel discussion.

Clocking in at just under 10 minutes, the video has accumulated nearly 90,000 views on YouTube alone, though University of Utah Health has found other uses for the moving film, including playing it at the National Institutes of Health Rare Disease Day conference and at a salon party that brought in more than 20 potential new donors who had previously never heard of University of Utah Health.

Congratulations to Joe Borgenicht and Julie Kiefer.