Racers,
I am very excited to announce that my documentary, On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW! has been chosen as an OFFICIAL SELECTION of the 2013 Downbeach Film Festival to be held the weekend of October 11-13 in Atlantic City, NJ.  The screening will be the NJ premiere.  I have included the press release I plan on sending out to media outlets in the region. If you have friends or family in the area I would be grateful if you'd let them know about the screening.  The Facebook event page can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/407645402668244/?ref_dashboard_filter=calendar
For those who have not see the film's trailer you can head on over to http://www.mowermovie.com

Thanks to all for your support.

On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW!
A Tale of Hope, Redemption, and Lawn Mower Racing

New Jersey Premiere • 2013 Downbeach Film Festival

WASHINGTON, DC October 4, 2013 – Can the sport of lawn mower racing be used to save lives?
Fans of independent films will find out on October 12th as On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW! has been officially selected to screen at the 2013 Downbeach Film Festival. The documentary film which will be making its New Jersey premiere will explore the world of lawn mower racing through the eyes of a Michigan family who have lost six members to Huntington's disease and use the sport to raise awareness of the disease and funds for its research.  Filmthreat.com has called the documentary “a blast to watch” and viewer ratings on IMDb.com have been very positive.

Huntington's disease is a disorder passed down through families in which nerve cells in certain parts of the brain waste away, or degenerate.  While there are some treatment for some of the aspects of Huntington's disease there is no cure.  The disease causes a deterioration in both physical and mental health and results in death 15-20 years after onset.   In order to offer an explanation of Huntington's disease to a general audience producer/director Mike Ratel has conducted on camera interviews with medical professionals, US congressmen, Huntington's disease advocates, and Arlo Guthrie who lost his father Woody Guthrie, an American folk music icon to the disease in 1967.

As a son of the Garden State, Ratel is excited about returning to the state for the New Jersey Premiere of a documentary in which he spent five years making. The Downbeach Film Festival/Atlantic City Cinefest  presents a cultural event for residents of and visitors to the communities of Atlantic City, Ventnor, Margate, Longport, Ocean City and beyond. The festival promotes new films, as well as filmmakers and actors all in an effort to celebrate the art form of filmmaking.

Now in their twentieth season the US Lawn Mower Racing Association (USLMRA) is a national governing body for the sport of lawn mower racing.  With chapters and members across America the organization works to schedule races, promote the association and its races via media opportunities, as well coordinate efforts with race day partners such as the Michigan chapter of the Huntington's Disease Society of America among others.

"Mike Ratel has put is heart and soul into this movie for the past five years, he is truly MOWtivated," said Bruce Kaufman, USLMRA Founder & President. "This movie will showcase the unique culture of lawn mower racing and how our people band together to help battle a horrific disease."
 
A Grand Rapids Press article about Ratel and the documentary was distributed by the Associated Press in 2009 resulting in radio, Internet, and newspaper coverage across the US. On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW! has also been selected by the DC Independent, South Texas Underground, Naperville Independent, and Maryland International Film Festivals.

In 2009 Docs in Progress selected the trailer for On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW! as one of five documentary trailers to be included in an evening of trailer screenings.  Recently Ratel was interviewed by Stephanie Webb on on the Grand Rapids ABC TV affiliate WZZM Channel 13  regarding On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW!'s Michigan Premiere.  He was joined by Donna Mikula who is both wife and mother to two of the racers featured in the film and the organizer of the race to raise money for Huntington's disease research.  The interview can be seen here:
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/article/218962/205/On-Your-Mark-Get-Set-Mow-Lawnmower-Racing-Documentary
 
On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW! will screen Saturday, October 12 at 2:30 pm at the Atlantic City Library.  The  screening is free and appropriate for all ages. The library's address is 1 North Tennessee Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 345-2269

Folks,
As some of you know my documentary on the sport of lawn mower racing, On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW! will screen at the Maryland International Film Festival in Hagerstown on April 13th at 4pm. The festival organizers and I are discussing the possibility of parking a racing mower or two in front of the theater an hour or two prior to the film screening. They are waiting to hear from the city on the legality of doing so.  Would there be anyone interested in participating in this?  It would be a great opportunity to promote the sport and any events you may have upcoming.

I have overhauled the film's web site and invite you to view the trailer, some clips, "like" it on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter.  The web site can be found at http://www.mowermovie.com.

Thanks to all who have helped out during this wild, crazy, and wonderful ride.  I hope to see many of you in Hagerstown.

I have been working with the filmmakers who made the documentary Carpet Racers to help both their film and mine to reach greater audiences.  Carpet Racers will be shown on Monday 10/22 at 10 AM on the Documentary Channel. 

From IMDb.com:

"A funny, yet dramatic, in-depth look inside the subculture of professional, competitive radio control race car drivers. Carpet Racers explores the lives of the men (and women) who's love affair with RC is timeless."

 http://www.carpetracers.com/

Tivo it if you'll be at work or you can purchase the DVD.  I am sure you'll enjoy it, I did.

Hey folks, actually when addressing the lawn mower racing community perhaps it should be "hay" folks?

My documentary film On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW! - A Tale of Hope, Redemption, and Lawn Mower Racing screened last week at the Naperville Independent Film Festival in Naperville, IL.  Once again crowd reactions were awesome and I filmed commentary from a few who have seen it and should be able to post them to the web this week.  The screening was attended by Illinois racer Dave Lewis and long time friend Damon Hennessey who shot an interview with USLMRA President Bruce Kaufman in his office for the film.  Damon's band Mother May I also provided two songs for the film's sound track.  Perhaps the biggest surprise was the fact that a cousin of mine from New Jersey just happened to be staying in the same hotel as I was and was able to attend the film's screening.  What are the odds of that happening? I extended an invitation to a member of the Illinois chapter of the Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA) to speak prior to the film's screening but a family emergency came up at the last minute and they were not able to attend.

This Wednesday, Sept 26 the film will screen at the South Texas Underground Film Festival in Corpus Christi, TX at 1:30pm.  Once again I have extended an invitation to anyone from a HD related organization to speak prior to the film's screening.  If you have friends in the area please make them aware of this event.  The Facebook event page is: https://www.facebook.com/events/122801131200324/  The festival's web site can be found here: http://www.southtexasundergroundfilm.com/

My editor John Kinhart and I released a clip from the film and in its first 48 hours was seen over 1000 times.  It's from the Sparta race in the film and if you'd like to have a look it can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFyv_BKGVnM

Recently on the Documentary Channel I saw a film called Carpet Racers.  The people in the film reminded me a great deal of the people I have met who race lawn mowers in that there is a community of like minded people.  I truly enjoyed the film and thought many of those who race lawn mowers would as well.  I contacted the filmmakers and we have been working together to help promote each other's films.  If you'd like to see the trailer for Carpet Racers, learn more about the film, or even buy a DVD copy here's the place to go: http://www.carpetracers.com/

I hope to have DVDs of On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW! in time for holiday gift giving. If you'd like to read the reviews and ratings or leave one if you've seen it you can see them here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2254085/

Thanks to everyone for their support of the film.  Special thanks go out to Joey and Vickie Nahas, my parents Joe and Eileen Ratel, the Mikula family, Bruce Kaufman and the USLMRA staff, Cliff and Pete at Speed Talk Radio, Stephanie Webb at Channel 13 and the rest of the Grand Rapids media community, and anyone who donated money, gave me a lift, grabbed a dinner check, and shared their sport on camera.

You have all help make a lifelong dream come true.

Folks,
Just a quick email to make you aware of an upcoming screening of On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW! which many of you know is my documentary film which will show how the sport of lawn mower racing is on the "cutting edge" in the battle against Huntington's disease.  The film will screen as part of the Art O Matic arts festival (artomatic.org) this Sunday, June 17 at 2pm.  For those of you coming Art O Matic is in Crystal City in Arlington, VA and is a block from the Crystal City metro stop on the Yellow and Blue lines.  Garage parking is abundant and free on weekends.   Like previous screenings I am happy to present the opportunity for someone from a Huntington's disease related organization to speak briefly to the audience prior to the film's screening.

Other screenings for On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW! include July 3 in Estacada, OR as part of a US Lawn Mower Racing Association Sta-Bil Series national points race and July 20 in Sparta, MI as a fundraiser for the Huntington's Disease Society of America.  That same weekend in Sparta will be the USLMRA Sta-Bil Series lawn mower race weekend to raise money for HDSA.

Based on audience feedback so far people with little or no knowledge of Huntington's disease have found the segments in the film explaining the disease to be "interesting and compelling".  Filmthreat.com claimed "it's a blast to watch".  Those who have seen the film have given it very positive ratings and reviews on IMDB.com (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2254085/).

If you are within the Washington, DC Metro area and you know people who might like to attend this Sunday's screening please feel free to forward the link to the Facebook event (https://www.facebook.com/events/373060496073090/) to them.

Thank you all for your time and support.

If you plan on attending the World Premiere of On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW! at the DC Independent Film Festival tomorrow I strongly urge that you purchase your tickets in advance.  I have been told that the film will screen in the smaller screening room at the Navy Heritage Center and a lot of people have been spreading the word via Facebook, Twitter, and email. You can purchase tickets at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/228035
The Navy Memorial/Archives stop on Metro's Green and Yellow lines is right in front of the building.  The Naval Heritage Center is just a few blocks south of the Verizon Center at 7th and PA Ave.

For those of you new to the site and have no idea what I am talking about you are not alone.  Most of the time I do not know what I am talking about either    The web site for my documentary can be found at http://www.mowermovie.com

Thanks to all for your support.

Folks, after 5 years of work I am happy to announce that the World Premiere of On Your Mark, Get Set, MOW! will be at the DC Independent Film Festival March 3 at 4:30pm.  I will be discussing this on Radio Speed Talk radio show tonight (http://www.radiospeedtalk.com/)


If you have a Facebook account have a look at the event page for the film screening here https://www.facebook.com/events/186887941419034/

Starting next month I will be submitting the film to film festivals in hopes of securing distribution for the film.

Time permitting I will be updating the project's web site tonight. http://www.mowermovie.com.
Thanks to all for your support.