Ryan Prior’s life imploded October 22, 2006 when he was struck down by a disease that dozens of doctors were powerless to diagnose, let alone treat. Against great odds, he becomes a reporter and ventures to tell the story of his suffering and improbable recovery. He is shocked that millions globally remain sidelined by the same disease, many bedridden for decades. Forgotten Plague is a journey into the hidden world of myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome). It is a chilling tale of our medical system’s failures in addressing many chronic, complex diseases. Yet it is also a riveting story of science’s remarkable ability to transform medicine and improve human life itself.
Nicole Castillo is a director-producer & owner of the production company "Coqui Pictures." Her passion is in telling stories from underrepresented cultural perspectives. She won an Emmy award for a medical story she did in partnership with Univision International. Her latest short film was selected at the La Femme Film Festival & Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival and played at Cannes Short Corner. She won best female filmmaker at IndieFEST 2018 as well won best student film at the Los Angeles Movie Awards. She has a feature length medical documentary on Amazon Prime called "Forgotten Plague." Nicole received her masters degree in Film & TV Production from Loyola Marymount University. She has worked in development for Los Angeles film companies such as Strongman Productions & Aero Film, and has directed & produced several short narrative films & documentaries for master-level projects with Loyola Marymount University & New York Film Academy. She is currently working on a TV Pilot based on family dynamics and tension within a Latino family.
