Contact: Don Feder, 508-405-1337

MEDIA ADVISORY, Feb. 14 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Heritage Foundation hosted the premiere of "Demographic Winter: the decline of the human family" on February 12. The screening was followed by a panel discussion of distinguished scholars.

The documentary will be released to the general public in two weeks. In the meantime, a 3-minute trailer for "Demographic Winter" can be viewed at www.demographicwinter.com.

Produced by Barry McLerran and directed by Rick Stout, the film focuses on the economic, political and social costs of rapidly declining birthrates worldwide and a graying population.

Demographer Phillip Longman, author of "The Empty Cradle: How Falling Birthrates Threaten World Prosperity, And What to Do About It," contends: "The global decline in human birthrates is the single most powerful force affecting the fate of nations and the future of society in the 21st. century."

Since work continues on the documentary, those attending the screening saw a cut of the film, but not the final version – which will be available by the end of February. The film is also the first of a two-part series. A follow-up documentary on demographic winter will be out in about six months.

The Heritage panel consisted of: Phillip Longman (Schwartz Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation and a former deputy assistant managing editor at U.S. News & World Report) Nicholas Eberstadt (Henry Wendt Scholar in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute, a member of the President's Council on Bioethics, 2006-present, and author of "Europe's Coming Demographic Challenge") Christine de Marcellus Vollmer (President, Latin American Alliance for the Family) and the moderator, Jennifer A. Marshall (director of Domestic Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation and author of "Now and Not Yet: Making Sense of Single Life in the Twenty-First Century").

Audience reaction to the documentary was overwhelmingly positive. Many expressed the hope that that "Demographic Winter: the decline of the human family" will be the beginning of a candid discussion of a trend that could have a devastating impact on  national economies, international stability and society.

Marshall observed that the documentary "powerfully conveys the conclusion of an impressive array of scholars in the U.S. and abroad: We ignore the decline of the family at our peril."

To schedule an interview with Barry McLerran, director of "Demographic Winter: the decline of the human family," contact Don Feder at (508) 405-1337.