In Drew Xanthopoulos’ intimate and cinematic documentary, we meet Joe, a patriarch whose affliction is so all-encompassing that he’s indifferent to his long-suffering wife; and twin brothers Sam and Nathan, musicians who are no longer able to breathe outside of their real-life sterile “plastic bubble,” and whose mother, Karen, developed her illness when she was only 17. These characters all suffer from debilitating sensitivities to their environment. Whether from ambient chemicals, genetics, electricity, or even psychogenic reasons, the cause is not clear, but the reality of the effects on these individuals is undeniable. Fortunately, Susie Molloy, a quiet firebrand who is chemically sensitive herself, seeks to help. In her, those afflicted by this modern malady have found an advocate whose mission is to de-stigmatize this community, and in telling their stories, Xanthopoulos has crafted a film itself as deeply sensitive as its title suggests. Cara Cusumano
You May Also Like
Alana and Lori were just two LGBT 20-somethings looking for love on Tinder when a casual right swipe made a match that would bind them together forever. Within a few weeks of meeting, Lori learned that Alana suffers from Lupus and has been waiting on the kidney transplant list for years. The state of New York, where Alana lives, has the lowest number of organ donors in the country, and because of her complex medical background, her chances of finding a donor match were incredibly slim. Against all odds, Lori found that she was a candidate for donation and decided to give Alana the ultimate gift. If the transplant is a success, Alana will triple her life expectancy and be freed from nightly dialysis. But if it fails, Lori will go through risky surgery and lose a healthy organ in vain. BEAN is an emotional medical journey for two families that tests the true limits of love and sacrifice.
At 17:00 every day, Andrew, a middle-aged man, drives home from work through Melbourne’s outer suburbs in peak-hour traffic. Occasionally, he offers a lift home to a younger colleague, David. Over a year, their tentative small talk gives way to a warm friendship and open conversation within the confines of the vehicle, incrementally revealing their lives.
A young evangelical filmmaker is granted unprecedented access inside a controversial Christian behavior modification program for teens, where she discovers shocking secrets and young students that change her life.
A documentary film providing an exclusive and immersive look at the process of Pixar Animation Studios filmmakers as they step into a leadership role and strive to bring their uniquely personal SparkShorts visions to the screen.
Documentary filmmakers assert that Anthony Porter – a former death-row inmate who was spared the death penalty thanks to the efforts of a college journalism program – was actually guilty, and an innocent man was sent to prison.
The final part of Heinz Emigholz’s “Streetscapes” series is again a triptych. A prologue examines three buildings from the 1930s designed by Julio Vilamajó in Montevideo which could have inspired the work of Eladio Dieste, the subject of the main part of the film. The industrial and functional buildings presented span the period from 1955 to 1994; their organic brick construction is astonishing and inspiring.
Learning to Breathe observes the past and present of Anthony Ruffo, a 47-year-old professional surfing legend and drug addict. Facing prison time in an ever-changing California court system, Anthony must decide whether to continue on his path of addiction and crime, or change his life and begin to heal the community he damaged. Anthony’s surfing past, methamphetamine addiction, criminality, and eventual recovery are displayed candidly. Those surrounding Anthony, including some of the world’s best surfers, discuss Anthony’s rise to fame and spiral into addiction and criminality. For the first time, they break the code of silence in the surfing industry and open up about their own addiction issues, discussing the problem of widespread drug use in the professional surfing community.
In 2023, one of the biggest questions humanity is still yet to answer is what happens to us when we die? We delve deep into the world of the afterlife speaking with Near Death Experiencers, Mediums, death doulas, and visiting a Cryogenics lab and the Conjuring house to try and make contact with other side, all in an effort to understand what happens to us when we die.
The story of four women in Jim Jones’ inner circle who helped plan the 1978 Jonestown Massacre, one of the largest murder-suicide events in modern history which left 918 men, women and children dead.
Meru is the electrifying story of three elite American climbers—Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk—bent on achieving the impossible.
Meet leaders, entrepreneurs, and everyday citizens working to eradicate ‘energy poverty’ in their countries. In a journey that’s enlightening and emotional, Switch On will change the way you look at energy and the developing world forever.
Follows the story and reality of Edmund Kemper, who appears to be a gentle giant who offers rides to young female hitchhikers, but is actually a perverted monster with a tormented childhood and dark sexual fantasies.
