Parkinson’s Documentary to Premiere on World Parkinson’s Day
MINNEAPOLIS, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Come Talk to ME, the feature-length documentary by independent filmmaker and director Deacon Warner and first-time producer Jackie Hunt Christensen, will make its big-screen debut as one of more than 200 films included in the 2026 Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF), festival organizers announced today. The film will be shown twice during the festival’s 12-day run (April 8-19):
- Saturday, April 11 (World Parkinson’s Day), early afternoon (exact showtime TBD) at the Main Cinema at Saint Anthony Main, 115 SE Main Street, Minneapolis, MN 55414
- Tuesday, April 14th, late afternoon (exact showtime TBD), at the Main Cinema at Saint Anthony Main, 115 SE Main Street, Minneapolis, MN 55414
Come Talk To ME follows Parkinson’s disease (PD) activist Jackie Hunt Christensen, her husband Paul, and a group of friends with PD as they reflect on the many types of communication that are necessary to allow them to participate fully in relationships with their families, friends, communities, and healthcare providers as the disease progresses.
“It’s such an honor to be able to launch our film out into the world from MSPIFF,” said Warner.
“To be part of its rich history of the past 45 years while also utilizing cutting-edge AI technology to set us apart from other films is incredible.”
The AI technology to which Warner referred is Eleven Labs’ text-to-speech program, which uses a voice cloned from Jackie Hunt Christensen’s own voice as it was recorded at a taped cable-access television interview she did in May 2000. She had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in July 1998, at age 34. Dubbed “JHC2K” by Hunt Christensen, this generative AI provides narration for nearly all of the documentary.
“Having Parkinson’s does not mean that you stop loving, caring, and feeling. Our film shows that through my story, and the stories of my husband, our two sons, and several of my friends with Parkinson’s and their care partners,” Hunt Christensen emphasized. “We believe that it’s important to keep talking, whether we use our voices, an assistive device that can talk for us, hand signals and gestures, or certain looks or twinkles in our eyes; until those of us with Parkinson’s CHOOSE to stop talking, because communication is everything!”
The film is now seeking sponsors. For more info, email producer@cometalktomefilm.com.
Tickets will be available online. Cost: For MSP Film Society members: $11+$0 fee.
GA non-member:$17+$2/ticket online fee. Student* $10. All sales are final; no refunds.
*Student tickets are available at the box office with student ID.
The Main Theater has limited wheelchair seating in the front row. They can accommodate 3-4 chairs. These are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Come Talk to ME LLC is making the film available to anyone affected by Parkinson’s free of charge (donate what you feel it was worth) on Saturday, April 11. If you would like more information on this option, contact producer@cometalktomefilm.com.
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SOURCE COME TALK TO ME LLC
