Page 124 Productions, in Association With FilmBuff, Announces BILL W., the New and Revealing Documentary About Bill Wilson, Co-Founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, is Now Available for Purchase on DVD

    NEW YORK, NY, December 06, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Just in time for the holiday gift-giving season, Bill W., the poignant and informative portrait of the man who helped millions recover from the ravages of alcoholism, is now available on DVD and can be purchased by visiting billw.com/store.

During a highly successful six-month theatrical release, Bill W. has filled theaters in the U.S. and Canada as the word-of-mouth enthusiasm and social media excitement spread the news of each new opening. Additional showings in select Landmark and Regal theaters across the country have made this film one of the top-grossing documentaries of the year.

But why a documentary about Bill Wilson?
This insightful look at a man recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the 100 Heroes and Icons of the 20th Century was made by two first-time filmmakers, Dan Carracino and Kevin Hanlon - neither of whom are members of Alcoholics Anonymous. How did a West Coast former computer chip distributor and an East Coast businessman become documentary film producers? "I had wanted to make a documentary film for a long time," Producer Dan Carracino recalled. "At the time that I started talking seriously to Kevin about making a film, he happened to be reading a book about the history of Alcoholics Anonymous. Both of us had witnessed first-hand the impact of alcoholism on family members and friends, so the topic really drew us in."

Kevin Hanlon agrees. "The whole history of A.A. is fascinating, but what really jumped out at us was Bill Wilson's personal story. Here's someone who almost died of his own addiction, found sobriety, and then dedicated the rest of his life to trying to help others not die from the same thing. And he's a great example of someone who worked in relative obscurity most of his life but who has had an enormous impact on the lives of millions of other people." The two directors agree that Wilson was "a truly remarkable man who gets far too little credit for the amazing good he has brought into the world," and they hope that their new film will do its own small part in rectifying that situation.

Bill W. portrays both the timeless story of one person facing overwhelming odds for his own survival and, at the same time, a life that has particular relevance today. Production started eight years ago with extensive research in numerous archives across the U.S. to find moving footage, photos, and audio recordings of Bill Wilson. The filmmakers also recorded on-camera interviews with historians and many A.A. members, some who knew and worked with Wilson.

Their film follows Bill Wilson through his 17 years of devastating alcoholism, the events that led to his own sobriety, the crucial years of A.A.'s founding and growth, his battle with depression, his experimentation with LSD, and his struggle with celebrity status in an anonymous society. With Bill as its driving force, A.A. grew from a handful of people to a worldwide fellowship of over 2 million men and women. Thousands of people throughout the world now credit him with saving their lives - both alcoholics and members of dozens of other 12 Step recovery groups.

Bill W. on DVD is now available for sale at billw.com/store, and will ship on December 11, 2012, the same date it becomes available on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and Cable On Demand (complete list of distributors below)* Bill W. is a film by Page 124 Productions. For more information, visit Page124.com . "Like" us on Facebook at Bill W. Movie, follow us on Twitter @BillWMovie, view the trailer on YouTube:The Bill W. Movie Channel.

*Online streaming iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube Rentals, Vudu, CinemaNow. Cable VOD channels Time Warner Cable, Comcast, Cox, Charter, Verizon, Suddenlink, Frontier, Movies on Demand and Mediacom.

Media inquiries: Contact Gregory Wilker [email protected] or 415-388-8200.

Page 124 Productions is a documentary production company based in New York. The filmmakers are not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous.They are deeply committed to telling an accurate history of the life and work of Bill W. and the founding and history of A.A. This film is not intended to promote or to criticize A.A. in any way.

Website: http://www.page124.com

# # #