Roadside Attractions is releasing WHERE HOPE GROWS in theaters on May 15, 2015. It is a wonderful feature film that is breaking new ground by casting a young man with Down syndrome, David DeSanctis, in a lead role.

The film has the support of Special Olympics and Best Buddies, a volunteer organization which creates opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

David is an inspiration in his own right. He lights up the room with his charismatic, funny and smart personality. At 22 years-old, he is a Louisville native who has a passion for motivating others. When cast in the film’s starring role, the director (Chris Dowling) asked David if he could read; David licked his finger to turn the first page of the script and speedily memorized 130 lines.

An ardent music lover, David used his own self-curated music playlists to help memorize scenes, as well as for dance breaks to help unwind. He can also cite thousands of song titles, lyrics and artists off the top of his head.

Kristoffer Polaha is a co-lead of WHERE HOPE GROWS. He is a talented actor who you will recognize from AMC’s “Mad Men,” MTV’s series “Awkward,” the CW’s “Ringer” and FOX’s “Backstorm."

WHERE HOPE GROWS is a story of adversity and triumph that follows professional baseball player Calvin Campbell, who was sent to an early retirement due to panic attacks at the plate. Even though he had all the talent for the big leagues, he struggles with the curveballs life has thrown him.