FEATURE DOCUMENTARY ARI’S THEME AVAILABLE TO AUDIENCES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THIS MONTH

Vancouver, B.C. (February 12, 2025) — Salazar Film announced today that the TELUS original documentary feature Ari’s Theme will be available to audiences across Canada beginning February 17th, 2025. In honour of Family Day, the acclaimed film will be available on TELUS Optik TV Channel 8 in B.C. and Alberta as well as a national release online. The film, directed by filmmaking duo Salazar, Nathan Drillot and Jeff Lee Petry (Tegan and Sara Get Along, Wizard Mode), will also have its highly-anticipated Vancouver Island premiere at the Victoria Film Festival as a special presentation where it will be live scored by members and students of the Victoria Conservatory of Music on Sunday, February 16th. Filmed in Victoria, B.C., Ari’s Theme follows Ari Kinarthy, a 34-year-old music composer with a rare genetic condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2. The condition causes his muscles to deteriorate and will shorten his life. By sixteen Ari had lost the ability to move his arms, but through a music therapy program he was introduced to composing, finding his life's purpose. Now 18 years later with his diploma from Berklee College of Music, Ari feels the negative progression of his SMA. Focused on his legacy, Ari sets out to create the soundtrack of the most impactful memories of his young life.The film has been lauded across North America since its debut at Hot Docs. It has played at festival globally and was selected as the opening night film at the Vancouver International Film Festival where it was live-scored by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra to a sold-out crowd and received 3 standing ovations. The film was also recently nominated for a Vancouver Film Critics Award for Best Canadian Documentary and Best BC Film.“Ari's Theme beautifully embodies TELUS originals' dedication to showcasing powerful, locally-rooted stories that resonate with our communities. This film not only celebrates the extraordinary talent and resilience within our region but also highlights the profound impact of family support,” says Cameron Zinger, Director, Local Content & 
Executive in Charge of Production, TELUS originals. “We're thrilled to bring Ari's inspiring journey to audiences across Canada through TELUS Optik TV and online platforms, perfectly timed with Family Day. It's a testament to the creative spirit of B.C. and the kind of meaningful content we're proud to deliver to our viewers.”The team behind Ari’s Theme, Nathan Drillot and Jeff Lee Petry have been working under the moniker Salazar for more than a decade producing and directing award-winning documentary content, across 21 countries, from Nunavik to Bolivia, to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Highlights include their feature length documentary Wizard Mode, which premiered at Hot Docs and was acquired by Netflix US, the ten episode broadcast docu-series The Wrestlers for Viceland and the Juno and Grammy nominated full length music documentary Tegan and Sara Get Along. Their short documentary Handsome and Majestic was included in the British Council and BFI Flare Film Festival's "5 Films For Freedom" campaign and has been shown at over 35 festivals. The short film I’ll Tell You When I’m Ready (TELUS originals), which they produced, had its Canadian premiere at Hot Docs 2024, an international premiere at the British Film Institute Flair 2024 and also screened at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival in 2024. Ari’s Theme is a TELUS original documentary and is produced by Salazar Film. Credits include: Ari Kinarthy Subject & Composer, Director of Photography Nathan Drillot and Jeff Lee Petry, additional Cinematography Kaayla Whachell, Edited by Benjamin Schuetze and Graham Fortin, Directed by Nathan Drillot and Jeff Lee Petry, Sound Design by Eugenio Battaglia, Visual Effects by Roman Betanzos, Animation by Scott Lougheed, Additional Orchestration by Johannes Winkler and Featuring violin performance by Rusanda Panfili. Production Executives for TELUS Ken Tsui and Malcolm Oliver. Ari’s Theme features Ari Kinarthy, Allan Slade BMT MTA, Johannes Winkler, Leah Kinarthy and Elior Kinarthy.Ari’s Theme was made possible with the generous support of TELUS originals and with thanks to the Victoria Conservatory of Music.

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More Information:

Victoria Film Festival Screening Information /Media Images / TrailerAbout Salazar:www.salazarfilm.com / @salazarfilmAbout TELUS originals TELUS originals supports the production of compelling, locally reflective, social- purpose documentaries and documentary series that connect established, independent filmmakers in B.C. and Alberta from diverse identities and communities to local and global audiences. TELUS original films are available on TELUS Optik TV channel 8, TELUS Stream+, at watch.telusoriginals.com and in film festivals globally.