About the Peek Award
Screenwriter and filmmaker, Barry Morrow, first met Salt Lake City native and mega-savant, Kim Peek, in 1984 at a conference in Arlington, Texas. Barry was so taken with Kim, that when Kim asked Barry to write a story about him, what emerged was the Academy Award winning film, Rain Man. Thanks to the widespread acclaim of Rain Man, and the incredible support of his father, Fancis Peek, Kim came out of his shell by traveling the world with Barry's Oscar statuette in tow to increase awareness of disabilities through the media and improve education for children with special needs.
In 2011, after the Oscar statuette had been held by over 425,000 people, covered in scratches and dents, and with the gold nearly rubbed off, Barry wanted to honor Kim's legacy by permanently loaning his Oscar to the City of Salt Lake as a living memorial and testament to the character of Kim and Francis. That year, Mayor Ralph Becker declared November 3rd Kim Peek Day, and the Utah Film Center established the Peek Award for Disability in Film to continue honoring the visionary filmmakers and artists who celebrate the dignity and compassion of the human spirit, and whose work raises awareness about disability issues that affect many of the loved ones around us. The Peek Award for Disability in Film celebrates the legacy of Kim Peek, which honors a subject, director, or actor in a film who embodies the dynamism of Rain Man and Kim Peek.