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Camp RicStar: Film Screening and Fireside Chat

In Recognition of Disability Pride & ADA 35th Anniversary

Join us for a special screening of "Camp RicStar," an award-winning documentary that follows the transformative journey of campers at the Eric 'RicStar' Winter Music Therapy Camp.

When director Sam McConnell met Judy Winter in 2019, he didn’t know what RicStar’s Camp was. He didn’t know her son Eric’s story. And like many people, he admits that disability made him uncomfortable.

But he listened and observed.

He learned about a camp created in Eric’s memory—a space built on music, movement, and full creative freedom for people with disabilities. Eric loved to perform, but rarely found stages that welcomed him. His parents, Judy and Richard Winter, built one. Two decades later, RicStar’s Camp remains a place where everyone has a place on stage.

Three years after that first meeting, McConnell completed Camp RicStar, a documentary about the camp’s 20th anniversary. He filmed without narration and let the campers lead. The result is a film that reflects the space it documents: direct, joyful, and built on trust.

At this screening, audiences will view the film, followed by a fireside conversation moderated by Emmy-nominated Producer Sydnye White with McConnell and the film’s executive producers, Judy and Richard Winter, . McConnell—known for The Out List and The Trans List—will speak about how the project began, what shifted in his understanding of disability, and how the film was shaped around the people who live the story.

After the conversation, Judy Winter will sign copies of her book, Breakthrough Parenting for Children with Special Needs: Raising the Bar of Expectations, a guide grounded in her experience raising Eric and advocating for inclusion nationwide.

Camp RicStar has received multiple honors, including the “Fest Best” Audience Award at Hell’s Half Mile, the Robert Byrd Award for Best Documentary at the Twin Cities Film Fest, and the Kaiser Permanente Thrive Award from Cinequest.

This event is presented in partnership with the Michigan State University College of Music. 

Sydnye White is a public speaker and Emmy-nominated producer who is passionate about bringing ideas, images and sounds to life - urging audiences to think bigger and dig deeper. As Vice President of Content and Storytelling at Special Olympics, she leads global teams in creating narratives that champion inclusion and connection. Her broadcast production work includes networks such as Discovery Channel, TLC, BET, National Geographic and TV One. A novelist in the making and Executive Producer of the upcoming reality series America’s Next Great Author, Sydnye is never far from a good story—or a bold new way to tell it.
 

FILM SYNOPSIS

CAMP RICSTAR explores the heartbreaking history and profound impact of a one-of-a-kind camp for people with disabilities, the Eric ‘RicStar’ Winter Music Therapy Camp. On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, we follow eight spirited campers who embrace being uninhibited as they sing, dance, create, connect, and discover new ways to express themselves. Finally, they perform at the “Be-a-Star Showcase,” where every level of ability is included and celebrated center stage.

Director / Producer BIO – SAM McCONNELL

Sam McConnell is a writer, director, and producer. He is partner in the New York and Los Angeles based production company, McConnell / Hauser. Their work spans narrative and documentary films, commercials, web series, music videos, PSAs, and video art installations. Sam has directed two feature films: “Test,” an indie drama currently in post-production, and the award-winning documentary “Camp RicStar,” (2024) about a life-changing music therapy camp for kids with disabilities. In addition, Sam has produced two acclaimed HBO documentaries exploring identity: The Out List (featuring Ellen Degeneres, Larry Kramer, Cynthia Nixon, and Neil Patrick Harris) and The Trans List (featuring Laverne Cox and Janet Mock,) both with director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders. Sam directed two episodes of The Warehouse Phase (2025) and the full first season (seven episodes) of Older Hotter Wiser (2025), both for Peacock. He has directed five short films, all of which have played in festivals across the country and internationally. Sam holds a BA and MFA from Columbia University in New York.

Editor / Producer / Writer – LUKAS HAUSER

Lukas Hauser is an editor, producer, and writer. He is a partner in the New York and Los Angeles-based production company, McConnell / Hauser. Their work spans narrative and documentary films, commercials, web series, music videos, PSAs, and video art installations. Lukas has edited several award-winning feature films, including “Camp RicStar,” for which he also served as writer, about a life-changing music therapy camp for kids with disabilities. He edited “The Black List” (HBO) which features Toni Morrison and Chris Rock, premiered at Sundance, and won the NAACP Image Award, as well as others for HBO. Additionally, Lukas also directed and edited the award-winning short “Below Surface.” Lukas holds a BA from Brown and MFA from Columbia University in New York.

Executive Producer JUDY WINTER

Judy Winter is a nationally recognized voice on special needs parenting issues. She is the author of Breakthrough Parenting for Children with Special Needs: Raising the Bar of Expectations, co-founder of the Eric ‘RicStar’ Winter Music Therapy Camp at Michigan State University, Executive Producer of the award-winning documentary, “Camp RicStar,” and a 2019 L’Oreal Paris Women of Worth Honoree. Judy’s words have appeared in dozens of publications, several books, and online, including at Forbes.com. She is at work on her first children’s book. Judy lives in Michigan—and visits Paris and Mackinac Island every chance she gets. She is passionate about improving the lives of children.

Executive Producer BIO – RICHARD WINTER

Dick Winter is Executive Producer of CAMP RICSTAR and co-founder of the Eric ‘RicStar” Music Therapy Camp at Michigan State University. A graduate of MSU, the semi-retired Certified Public Accountant (CPA) currently provides tax planning services to high-net-worth clients. In his spare time, Winter enjoys spending time with his three grandsons, mountain biking, kayaking, and driving fast cars on high speed race tracks.

Sydnye White is a public speaker and Emmy-nominated producer who is passionate about bringing ideas, images and sounds to life - urging audiences to think bigger and dig deeper. As Vice President of Content and Storytelling at Special Olympics, she leads global teams in creating narratives that champion inclusion and connection. Her broadcast production work includes networks such as Discovery Channel, TLC, BET, National Geographic and TV One. A novelist in the making and Executive Producer of the upcoming reality series America’s Next Great Author, Sydnye is never far from a good story—or a bold new way to tell it. 

CAMP RICSTAR Trailer 2024 on Vimeo

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