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Former UNO Student to Premiere First Feature Film

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Kasey (Sasha Staley) travels to reach her family in a world with no air

Omaha - If you were a SCUBA diver who surfaced to a world without breathable air, how far would you go to get back to your family before your oxygen tank ran out?

In their first feature-length film, “AIR”, former University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) student Nick Royer and current UNO student Emily Royer, tell the story of Kasey (Sasha Staley) and her journey to return to her family and son after an unexplained event eliminates the world’s breathable air.

The film is set to premiere at Aksarben Cinema, 2110 S. 67th St., on Thursday, June 5, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the premiere are just $15 for adults and $10 for students and can be purchased online at airthefilm.com.

“AIR” also stars UNO Department of Theatre alumnus Bill Grennan as Kasey’s husband, Marcus, and UNO Theatre professor D. Scott Glasser as a fellow survivor named Lawrence. Additionally, many of the film’s 40-plus crew members are UNO students or former students.

Nick and Emily Royer are the founders and owners of Royer Media Group, which was founded in 2007. They acquired the rights to produce “AIR” from Canadian screenwriter Steve Fauquier, and were able to secure a large portion of their production funding through UNO’s Fund for Undergraduate Scholarly Experiences, or FUSE.

“We began planning the film in fall 2012, and things really got going once we received our FUSE grants,” Nick explains. “We pulled together over forty volunteers and shot over 17 days the following summer."

They received particular support from Glasser, who served as a production advisor on the film, as well as playing the role of Lawrence. State Sen. Colby Coash, from Lincoln, also helped find filming sites for the Royers and makes a cameo appearance in the film.

“We shot all over Eastern Nebraska and a bit in Council Bluffs,” Nick says. “This film really highlights the incredible talent in the Midwest, as well as diverse locations you wouldn’t expect to find in Nebraska.”

The film runs at approximately 80 minutes and seats are limited for the premiere event on June 5. Ticket sales are going on now through Thursday, May 29.

For questions, please contact Nick Royer at nick@royermedia.com.

For media inquiries, please contact Charley Reed, UNO media relations coordinator, at unonews@unomaha.edu or by phone at 402.554.2129.

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

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