Genart's 18th Annual Film Festival Announces Collaboration With The Partnership At Drugfree.org For #endmedicineabuse Project

The Partnership at Drugfree.org  & Genart Debut Short Film Created by A&E "Intervention's" Tucker Capps and Competition Winner Cyrus Stowe

NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Genart, the experiential events and digital content marketing company supporting emerging talent, and The Partnership at Drugfree.org, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping families solve the problem of teen substance abuse, have teamed up to select a teen filmmaker to debut his film at Genart's 18^th Annual Film Festival in New York City on October 3, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. EST at AMC Loews Village 7.

Dallas native and high school student Cyrus Stowe was selected by Genart and The Partnership at Drugfree.org to turn his entry into a short documentary with the help of A&E "Intervention's" Tucker Capps. The short documentary, entitled "Out of Reach," captures the issue of teen prescription drug abuse as it exists in Cyrus' world, and is a reflection of the issue of teen medicine abuse across the country. It is set to kick off the 18^th Annual Genart Film Festival with an invite-only debut of the film for a select audience of parents and partners who work with The Partnership at Drugfree.org in their efforts to prevent teen drug abuse and get help for teens who may be struggling with addiction.

"My goal was to raise awareness about just how many teens are abusing medicine. Until I started talking to my friends and making this film, I didn't know the true scope of the problem, so I can't imagine many parents understand either," said Stowe. "I also have a personal connection to the issue, and making this film was truly a life-changing journey. I made self-discoveries during this process and am hopeful that it will help others will open their eyes to medicine abuse in the way it has for me."

With more Americans dying from drug overdoses than in car crashes, The Partnership at Drugfee.org is committed to ending teen medicine abuse. Its Medicine Abuse Project is one of the organization's major initiatives, with a goal of preventing half a million teens from abusing medicines by 2017.

Data from the 2012 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study finds only 16 percent of teens reported they discussed the misuse or abuse of prescription pain relievers with their parents during the last conversation they had regarding substance abuse.

"This film is a teen's wake-up-call to parents. Seeing how rampant prescription drug abuse is in a typical American high school will help put this dangerous behavior on parents' radar and motivate them to take action," said Marcia Lee Taylor, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs of The Partnership at Drugfree.org. "We are proud to partner with Genart to shed light on this epidemic and motivate families and communities to take action."

To learn more about the issue of medicine abuse, visit The Medicine Abuse Project online and follow The Project on social media using #endmedicineabuse.

About Genart
Genart is a national organization dedicated to showcasing and elevating emerging talent in film, fashion, music and visual arts. Genart hosts an array of signature events including the Genart Film Festival, Summer Screening Series, and Fresh Faces in Fashion. Genart has a 16-year history cultivating an extensive following of loyal consumers who view them as arbiters of emerging talent. With an expertise in experiential and event marketing that aligns brands with talent and entertainment industries, Genart creates dynamic integrations that ensure audience engagement is both immersive and organic while supporting and maintaining the integrity of the artist's work. Genart has a long history of working with a variety of prominent brands.  To learn more about "Out of Reach", the student-made film that explores the issue of teen medicine abuse, visit the Genart Film Festival site.

About The Partnership at Drugfree.org
Ninety percent of addictions start in the teenage years. The Partnership at Drugfree.org is dedicated to solving the problem of teen substance abuse. Together with experts in science, parenting and communications, the nonprofit translates research on teen behavior, addiction and treatment into useful and effective resources for both individuals and communities. Working toward a vision where all young people will be able to live their lives free of drug and alcohol abuse, The Partnership at Drugfree.org works with parents and other influencers to help them prevent and get help for drug and alcohol abuse by teens and young adults. The organization depends on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and the public sector and is thankful to SAG-AFTRA and the advertising and media industries for their ongoing generosity. If you or someone you know is struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, please call The Parents Toll-Free Helpline at 1-855-DRUGFREE.

SOURCE The Partnership at Drugfree.org