On Jan. 14, a week from tomorrow, St. Louis’ Tivoli Theatre will offer a special 7 p.m. screening of “The Accidental Advocate.”
The documentary film is by former Dateline NBC producer Jessica Gerstle, and focuses on “the challenges her father and family face after a bicycle accident leaves him paralyzed from the neck down.”

The Tivoli is among 15 theaters in 14 cities around the country who are planning to air the documentary over several weeks. Although it features both sides of the stem-cell research debate, some advocates say in a statement that, “The timing is meant to keep the issue fresh in the minds of Americans who hope President-elect Barack Obama and others back greater federal support for stem cell research.”

The 90-minute film features appearances by such stem-cell research advocates as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and actor Michael J. Fox, along with scientists, religious leaders on both sides and political proponents and opponents in Washington, D.C.

Right after the Tivoli’s screening, the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures and Hadassah, a Jewish civic organization, will cohost a pro-research panel discussion open to the public.

According to the coalition, the participants will include:

· Dr. Steven Teitelbaum, a researcher at Washington University in St. Louis;

· Marie Davis, executive director of the Metro St. Louis/Greater Missouri Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation;

· Joan Denison, director of the area chapter of Hadassah; and

· Eric Westacott, a local attorney who established The Eric Westacott Foundation to raise money for spinal cord research after he was paralyzed playing softball in college.

Tickets for the screening are $10.50 each. They are available online at www.landmarktheatres.com, or at the Tivoli box office. For more information about the film, visit www.theaccidentaladvocate.com.

In November, the theater screened “The Stem Cell Divide” as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival. That film — by local directors Barbara Shuman, Jill Mogil and Sharon Pollack — dealt with the 2006 battle over Amendment 2, which narrowly passed and protects in Missouri all forms of stem-cell research allowed under federal law.

As locals may recall, actor Fox appeared in town in 2006 to promote the research as part of his stop to aid the U.S. Senate candidacy of Democrat Claire McCaskill. Fox’s visit contributed to the intertwining of the Senate race and the Amendment 2 fight, especially since then-U.S. Sen. Jim Talent opposed the amendment.