A true look at life with epilepsy
“To really end the stigma of epilepsy, you have to speak to the unaware." That statement from writer and director Miles Levin, is the purpose behind Under the Lights, a feature-length film based off Levin’s award-winning short of the same name.
The film, set to be released in 2025, follows Sam (Pearce Joza), who goes to his high school prom just to feel like an ordinary teenager for one night, despite knowing the lights at the dance will cause him to have seizures. This mirrors how many teenagers living with epilepsy feel: They just want to fit in. Levin, who also lives with epilepsy, has created a movement through his filmmaking to help others understand what it feels like to live with this condition—to live with the stigma and the fear of being excluded.
“We know that epilepsy is more than just seizures and we want everyone else to know that too.”
That passion to end stigma is exactly what drives what we do at UCB. For more than 30 years, we’ve been dedicated to improving the lives of people living with epilepsy through life-changing solutions and individualized treatments. Our UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Program™ is entering its 20th year, offering educational scholarships to not only those living with epilepsy but to their family members and caregivers too. Additionally, we take great pride in sponsoring Canine Assistants, a program that provides service dogs to children and adults with epilepsy, physical disabilities, and other special needs. Not to mention, each issue of EpilepsyAdvocate shines a light on news, programs, and inspiring stories within the epilepsy community.
At UCB, we know that epilepsy is more than just seizures, and we want everyone else to know that too. Epilepsy not only impacts the diagnosed individual but also their family, friends, and caregivers. Under the Lights invites audiences to see what that’s like, for all involved. That’s why we feel so strongly about this film. Follow EpilepsyAdvocate on Facebook for release date info. Be part of the conversation. Be part of the movement.
There are many ways to raise awareness about epilepsy. So, why a movie? “It’s very difficult to get people to show up to be educated on something that they know nothing about,” explains Levin. “But movies and television are really the only space in our culture where people go out of their way, and it is their choice to hear from someone they’ve never heard from before.”
The power of film—to envelop you in a story and to introduce you to characters you care about—is unmatched. And if you walk out of the theater understanding life with epilepsy a little more, or you share what you saw with someone else, Levin’s mission will be accomplished. “I’m finally in a place where I think, ‘What a privilege it is to do something like this and to be able to talk about this condition and make my epilepsy journey worthwhile.’”
