SXSW 2023 short film reviews: ‘ENDLESS SEA’ & ‘FUNNY FACE’ are two stories of humanity and compassion.

ENDLESS SEA




 Follows Carol, an elderly woman on Medicare in New York City, as she struggles through the US healthcare system, a reality faced by millions of Americans who find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place.


Carol navigates the healthcare system after finding that her heart medication has quadrupled in price. Doing all she can to pay for her pills, she hustles through Valentine’s Day, calling in favors, delivering flowers for tips, and waiting on hold with Medicare customer service. ENDLESS SEA culminates in a choice between life and death. Brenda Cullerton plays Carol brilliantly. She breaks your heart with unfiltered vulnerability and desperation.

Did you know we are the only country that advertises drugs? Profit over people, I guess. I lived in India in 2008 and had a health scare. I walked into a top hospital, saw the head of the ER, a specialist, got a biopsy, a mammogram, and results on a scanned card and printed in a folder I got to take from appointment to appointment, all for $73. The American healthcare system is broken. ENDLESS SEA illustrates the chaos of remaining healthy or merely staying alive in this country. In a short amount of time, this film packs a punch. It’s a must-see.


Film Screenings

 
Mar 15, 2023
6:30pm8:12pm
 

Credits

Director:

Sam Shainberg

Executive Producer:

Henry S., Alex O Eaton, Sam Shainberg, Catherine Shainberg

Producer:

Rachel Walden

Screenwriter:

Sam Shainberg

Cinematographer:

J. Daniel Zuniga

Editor:

Luca Balser

Production Designer:

Charlie Robinson

Sound Designer:

Eric Brown

Principal Cast:

Brenda Cullerton, Jacque Sebag , Iskandar Dridi, Johnny Zito, Vilma Ortiz Donovann, Nora Delighter, Alexandra Templar , Basil Constable, Anne Zuk , Muhammad Gueye

Additional Credits:

Casting Director: Eleonore Hendricks, 1st AC: Carlos Amador Wong, Gaffers: Adam Kim, Vuk Lungulovk, Wardrobe: Emily Costantino, Sound Mixer: Boris Krichevsky, Art Directors: Holly Mcclintock, Key Grips: Jordan Tetewsy, Eli Freireich


Live-action FUNNY FACE




An autobiographical dramedy that retells Harris’ experience directly following her facial feminization surgery with the support of her brother and girlfriend, played by their real-life counterparts.


From the filmmakers of GAY HAIRCUT, SXSW 2023 short film FUNNY FACE brings audiences a conversation starter. The plot revolves around the hours following Sophie’s ten-hour face feminization surgery. It’s a family affair with her girlfriend and her brother from out of town, who are also meeting for the first time. Both take on the in-home care nurse who’s too wrapped up in her drama to do her job or be a human being. Funny Face is about respect and sacrifice, identity and love. The script is grounded in emotional honesty. It allows space for discussion while remaining lighthearted. Writer-director Jude Hope Harris retells her very personal story with her real-life family in the starring roles. Amusing, thought-provoking, and brave. FUNNY FACE is one to see.


Film Screenings

Credits

Director:

Jude Hope Harris

Producer:

Genevieve Jones, Nick Vitale

Screenwriter:

Krista Fatka, Jude Hope Harris

Cinematographer:

Ingrid Sanchez

Editor:

Aviva Siegel

Music:

Charlie Harrison

Principal Cast:

Charlie Harrison, Krista Fatka, Sharon Zhang, Marieve Herington, Jude Hope Harris

Additional Credits:

Special Effects Makeup Artist: Kyrsta Morehouse

Review: ‘Not Going Quietly’ Documents the Hope, Grit, and Sacrifice of Activism

NOT GOING QUIETLY

A rising star in progressive politics and a new father, 32-year-old Ady Barkan’s life is upended when he is diagnosed with ALS. But after a chance encounter with powerful Senator Jeff Flake on an airplane goes viral, catapulting him to national fame, Ady and a motley crew of activists ignite a once-in-a-generation movement for healthcare justice. Launching the Be A Hero campaign, Barkan travels across the country educating and empowering others to confront elected officials with emotional, personal stories intended to directly impact legislation. Continuing today to inspire others to use the time they are given and speak truth to power, Barkan continues to fight for a brighter and more just world for his son to inherit. He was featured as one of the 100 Most influential people of 2020 and has most recently been credited with pressuring President Biden to make the recent decision to waive the COVID-19 vaccine patent. Barkan is referred to as “The Most Powerful Activist in America,” because when he speaks, people listen.


A special kind of courage is required to devote your life to a cause and lead an activist movement, particularly in an era when it is easy to be cynical about politics. In “Not Going Quietly,” filmmaker Nicholas Bruckman takes us behind the scenes of the “Be a Hero” campaign for healthcare justice in America and wrestles with the question, “What are you willing to give for a cause?” 

The film’s heartbeat is an intimate portrait of political activist Ady Barkan, who leads the campaign effort even while grappling with increasingly advanced stages of ALS. Barkan came to prominence in a viral video of a chance encounter with former Senator Jeff Flake on a plane, where he passionately advocated for healthcare protections for himself and others. Forcing elected representatives to confront the consequences of the laws they support would become the cornerstone strategy of the “Be a Hero” campaign. Activists hope to push past glib political narratives and force a reckoning that will change hearts and votes– or at the very least, record the interaction and make sure the hostile indifference of Congressional Members and Aides is on public display.

The film excels at telling the story of this kind of work by juxtaposing powerful political rallies– including a cameo from Bernie Sanders– with the harsh realities of ALS and heartwarming scenes with Barkan’s supportive wife and young son. In addition, moments of humor and fun with the campaign’s inner circle present another side of the fight– the deep friendships that bind people working for a cause greater than themselves. 

Within the first fifteen minutes, it becomes clear why “Not Going Quietly” won the Audience Award and Special Jury Recognition for Humanity in Social Action at SXSW. This film is guaranteed to pull at all of your emotions. So what is it that moves you? I am confident this documentary has it in spades.


In Theaters on August 13, 2021

Directed by: Nicholas Bruckman (La americana)

Co-Written by: Nicholas Bruckman, Amanda Roddy

Produced by: Amanda Roddy

Executive Producer: Bradley Whitford (Get Out, “The West Wing”), Jay Duplass (“Transparent”), Mark Duplass (Creep, Safety Not Guaranteed), Mel Eslyn (The One I Love, Horse Girl), Sam Bisbee (The Truffle Hunters, Farewell Amor), Nina Tassler, Joan Boorstein, Jackie Kelman Bisbee, Wendy Kelman Neu, Nicholas Bruckman, Ryder Haske

Featuring: Ady Barkan (co-founder of the Be a Hero PAC, organizer for the Center for Popular Democracy), Rachael King, Liz Jaff, Nate Smith, Tracey Corder, Ana Maria Archila, Helen Brosnan

With special appearances from:
Vice President  Kamala Harris
Senator Bernie Sanders
Senator Elizabeth Warren
Senator Cory Booker
United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg


Review: HBO’s documentary ‘BLEED OUT’- The medical blame game might literally kill you.

Medical error is the third leading cause of death in the U.S.

I have an innate fear of the doctors and hospitals. There are valid reasons for that. The first surgery I had to remove my appendix only happened after I refused to leave the emergency room until the doctors found out what was wrong with me. Had I left, my appendix would have burst the next morning. Then, I was able to learn more about the dr roxy reviews and while going to the plastic surgeon for a simple mole removal, the nurse asked me who would be driving me home. When I told her I’d be transporting myself, she told me that I’d be under a massive amount of anesthesia because I was getting a breast augmentation. “Wow! Wrong file!” I screamed. There were only two patients at the clinic that morning. And don’t even get me started on my two C-sections.

Death insurance, or Burial Insurance as it is more commonly known, is a way of making sure that your funeral costs are taken care of before the event comes. It is a way of preparing yourself for the inevitable whilst making sure that loved ones are not left with the responsibility. You will find many options when it comes to insurance relating to life and death and it certainly pays to find out more about them, what do you think about death insurance. Basic death insurance means that you can make sure that at the very least your funeral is all paid for before you leave this earth. A policy known as Pre-Need Insurance is available which is specifically designed for this purpose. They are available through funeral homes and it is these homes that are the beneficiary of the policy. This ensures that the funds are paying the funeral costs and nothing else. Other types of death insurance include the option of getting a lump sum paid to any named beneficiary in the event of your death. The difference between these types of policies and the Pre-Need Insurance is that the funds are not specifically allocated to the costs of a funeral. If you still have money owing to others after you pass on, the funds from these policies can be used to pay these debts off. Items associated with death including medical bills and nursing home fees could be paid off in full. Commonly these policies are called simply Burial Insurance or Final Expense Insurance. The advantage of these types of policies is that you pick the person who receives the death benefit. It could be a spouse, colleague, your children or a friend. It is recommended that after taking out a policy, you discuss with the beneficiary where you would like the funds to be allocated. You may have specific requests about who should be given a payment from the monies received. It is worth noting that the beneficiary will be given the money to use as they see fit unless you do this. Also, any cash that is left over belongs to the named person themselves.

The new HBO doc airing tonight, BLEED OUT, hit home and it’s a brutal and frustrating watch. That’s the point. Steve Burrows was a comedy director in L.A. until his mother broke her hip in Wisconsin. She went from free spirit retiree to permanent neurocognitive impairment in a matter of days. Now he’s on a mission to take the hospital, doctors, insurance companies to task in a lawsuit no one wanted to touch. Visit us at https://cliffsideskinandlaser.com/general-dermatology/ for more details regarding to medical dermatology. The entire system is stacked against the people and most of them don’t even know it… Until something happens to them. Politicians love to use healthcare as a talking point but no one can seem to protect the patient, they’re only protecting the business of corporate medicine. You will be pissed off and rightly so. This is a story about one family’s fight but there are literally thousands of stories like this happening daily. Daily. People are drowning in bills they should not have to pay. It’s quite frankly disgusting.But if you have allergy or food intolerance problem then I suggest you to visit this website. Bleed Out is a phenomenal companion to the podcast Dr. Death. This, too, illustrates the lack of care for patients. In Bleed Out, you will watch mistake after mistake, finger pointing, and zero accountability. This single ordeal is one that covers a decade of chaos. Now imagine the cases that go undocumented. Burrows put his heart, soul, and career on the line to fight the proverbial man. He is my hero. This film is one every single American needs to watch, if not for themselves most definitely for their loved ones. For dedicated and passionate about the health of your skin. It’s our commitment to you that has helped us achieve dermatologist rancho santa margarita help us.

After a routine partial hip replacement operation leaves the mother of filmmaker and comedian Steve Burrows in a coma with permanent brain damage, what starts as a personal video diary becomes a citizen’s investigation into the state of American health care. Shot over the course of ten years, using archival footage, vérité scenes and interviews with family members and experts, the thought-provoking documentary BLEED OUT debuts MONDAY, DEC. 17 (8:00–9:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

The film will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and partners’ streaming platforms.