ALL NYC PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS TO BE SCREENED FOR DYSLEXIA AS PART OF PILOT PROGRAM

When fifteen-year-old Tyson attends public school for the first time, his life is changed forever. While helping his father clean up after the football team, Tyson befriends champion marathon runner Aklilu.

GOING THE DISTANCE: Aklilu (Barkhad Abdi) challenges Tyson (Major Dodson) to realize his potential in Tyson's Run.

Never letting his autism hold him back, Tyson becomes determined to run his first marathon in hopes of winning his father's approval. With the help of an unlikely friend and his parents, Tyson learns that with faith in yourself and the courage to take the first step, anything is possible.

15-year-old Tyson (Major Dodson), homeschooled and on the autism spectrum, decides to start attending high school when his mom (Amy Smart) can no longer understand the math she needs to teach him. At school, he makes friends but also grapples with some bullying and teasing from classmates. Meanwhile, his dad (Rory Cochrane) isn’t thrilled about having his son on the campus where he coaches one of the state’s most successful high school football teams.

With the help of an unlikely friend and his parents, Tyson learns that with faith in yourself and the courage to take the first step, anything is possible.

One day, Tyson encounters Aklilu (Barkhad Abdi), a former marathon runner, and he begins jogging alongside him. The pair strike up a friendship, and Tyson vows to train to run his town's first-ever marathon just weeks away. The training will challenge him as well as his parents' and the town's conceptions of what Tyson is capable of.

Tyson's Run, now available on DVD, Digital, and Video On Demand, follows Tyson as he tries to heal the rift between his parents and the emotional distance from his unfulfilled father by giving them both a second chance to put their family bond first.

"We believe this film will provide a sense of hope and perseverance to everyone that watches," said President of Collide Distribution, Bob Elder. "It is our joy to bring films to the big screen that the entire family can enjoy."

The subject of Tyson's Run – autism – isn't merely the on-screen focus. That's because the lead actor, 18-year-old Major Dodson, himself is on the autism spectrum. Dodson, who is known for his

roles in The Walking Dead and American Horror Story, says fans of his work likely don"t know of his past.

“I think it will be a new discovery for most people,” Dodson said. “I've come a very far, very long way from how I used to be as a kid. I credit occupational therapy. I credit really good parenting and acceptance over the years of who I am – letting me go out and do my own thing. So I'm very, very independent now.”

The release is helmed by Emmy Award-nominated and NAACP Image Award-winning Writer-Director Kim Bass. Bass, a former staff writer on the sketch comedy series In Living Color and creator of primetime family series Sister, Sister and Kenan & Kel, created this feel-good family drama. He said that he was inspired to write the screenplay based on a conversation with a young boy who didn’t want to run anymore because he felt he would never be as fast as the other kids.

"It's not about how to be as fast as everyone else," Bass said. "It's about having determination, belief in yourself, faith and keep going ultimately. You can overcome all kinds of things and come out on top, even though you think you've been left behind."

Bass said Dodson was the "perfect choice" for the lead role, beating out more than 200 other actors who were considered. His performance was "vulnerable" and "didn't look like somebody trying to pretend." He stated, "I've imagined this story for several years. Taking it to production was one of my greatest joys. I'm proud and feel privileged to have been part of a film that both entertains and impacts. Now that Universal Pictures Content Group has enthusiastically agreed to bring the film to your home, I am grateful."