Dakota's Pride 2.0

From the dark depths of the moment you learn that your child has Down Syndrome, tough questions arise. This engaging, character-driven documentary aims to celebrate differences, spread understanding, and highlight the raw beauty within every individual with special needs. Those featured in the film have distinct hardships, dreams, and paths of achievement. Now, a decade after the first film, their vast array of milestones and accomplishments will warm your soul. The outstanding individuals are able to graduate college, drive cars, receive recognition, find love, and show great courage. Dakota's Pride 2.0 isn't all blue skies, but it highlights that every individual with Down Syndrome is unique and special, just like the families they are born into. The film allows viewers to form a first-hand understanding of the reality of raising a child with Down syndrome, all while eliminating the broad and damaging stereotypes too often assigned to people with special needs.

  • Sam Sagmiller
    Writer
    Dakota's Pride, Dyslexia My Life
  • Isaiah Moreno
    Writer
  • Girard Sagmiller
    Producer
  • Girard Sagmiller
    Director
    Dakota's Pride, Day on the Organic Farm, Dehydrator Delights, Signing songs, Dyslexia My life
  • Tom Kane
    Narrator
    "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (Disney/Lucasfilm), Storm Trooper, Old Man, Alien, Imperial Officer
  • Dr. Brian Skotko
    Key Cast
    USA Today, ABC’s “Good Morning America
  • Dr. Allen C. Crocker
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Melissa Walline
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Grant Walline
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Grace Walline
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Rachel O’Brien
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Mary Cassidy
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Tony
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Lee Jones
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Girard Sagmiller
    Key Cast
    Ride with the Devil(Ang Lee), Dakota's Pride
  • Sherri Sagmiller
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Dakota Sagmiller
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Savannah Sagmiller
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Marlene Wagnon
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Audrey Wagnon
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Jennifer Ross
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Nicole & Derek Houston
    Key Cast
    Dakota's Pride
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    37 minutes 40 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 1, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    35,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 35mm format
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Hollywood International Independent Documentary -short
    Hollywood
    United States
    December 10, 2016
    Raleigh Studios Hollywood
    Best Documentary Short
  • Ethan Saylor Memorial Film Festival
    Annapolis, Maryland
    United States
    January 14, 2017
    Ethan Saylor Award
    Ethan Saylor Award
Director Biography - Girard Sagmiller

Girard Sagmiller
4552 West 138 Ter
Overland Park, KS 66224
girardsag@yahoo.com

• Education: Minor in Drama, BS in Business, MBA in Business and Project Management

Producer & Writer:
• Producer for the PBS KTWU Station Partnership Award winning Documentary Dakota’s Pride. - A Documentary Film on Down Syndrome. - www.dakotaspride.org
• Universal Film Festival Official Selection for Dakota’s Pride
• Produced over 15+ award winning educational productions. Signing Song educational, “Sensory Integration Strategies,” Dyslexia My Life, Garden-able, Speaking on Dyslexia, Financial Planning for Special Needs, Day on the Organic Farm, Dehydrator Delights.
• Writer—Script: By Love and Grace.
• Production Assistant--Ride with the Devil, (Director: Ang Lee) Tobey Maguire, Jewel 1999- Feature Film
• Actor—Blitzes and Donor, 1997 - Independent film Lead male

Awards and honors-

• Selected by the Family Fun magazine, Points of Light Foundation, and Walt Disney Company for the Outstanding Volunteer Award
• Appeared on hundreds of radio and television shows
• Quoted in The Kansas City Star, The Business Journal, and USA Today talking about Dyslexia.
• Lectured internationally for countless Teacher workshops, classroom discussions, Notre Dame, Learning Disabilities Worldwide, Inc. (LDW), Learning Disability Association (LDA), International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and Michigan Dyslexia Institute(MDI).
• Winner of the Ronald E. Weger award
• Television Actor: The Red Green Show, TV Show, 1999, Foul's Foul, TV Show, 1999, Budweiser-Light Beer commercial, 1996
• Over 210 Radio and TV talk show, as author of Dyslexia My Life.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

One in every 691 babies in the United States is born with Down syndrome. Rachel O’Brien was one of them. And when she died as an adult this year, her organs helped 45 people.

We first met Rachel, and a handful of other individuals living with Down syndrome, in “Dakota’s Pride,” a documentary by The Gifted Learning Project. Today, more than a decade after the first film, we follow up with the people who showed us we should celebrate differences, spread understanding and highlight the raw beauty inside every person.

“Dakota's Pride 2.0” highlights the uniqueness of everyone born with Down syndrome, and their families. The men and women with Down syndrome are achieving milestones like graduating college, driving cars and finding love. Viewers will gain an understanding of the reality of raising a child with Down syndrome, and we hope they’ll help us eliminate the broad and damaging stereotypes that’re too often assigned to people with special needs.

We had a special crew of celebrities who helped make this film possible, like Robin Williams, Robert De Niro, the Twins baseball team, Amy Thielen (Food Network), Tony Danza,
Dale Earnhardt, and Charley Pride.

They believed in us, like we believe every person is born with gifts. Sometimes, it just takes a little time and love to discover those gifts.