Kansas International Film Festival Offers Jewish Flavor
By Keith D Cohen
Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

Ben Byer, a Jewish actor, playwright and filmmaker from Chicago, was diagnosed in 2002 at the age of 31 with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). He decided to give his life special meaning and make a contribution to society with a visual diary capturing three years in his fight against the terminal disease. His life-affirming documentary, “Indestructible,” will be shown at 5:20 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22. Anyone who has been given the death sentence of an incurable disease, or a family member who has seen the gradual deterioration of a loved one, can identify with this film. This attention-grabber is told with compassion, tenderness and understanding. You may approach the subject matter with trepidation, but Byer maintains a smile and a sense of humor through his ordeal. A particularly memorable episode involves his trip to Israel, seeking what Judaism has to offer, incluiding a climb up Masada with his brother, Josh. My rating: 4 stars.