A US film about assisted dying and the treatment of people with disabilities is set to premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Titled “Life After”, the feature documentary by Reid Davenport (who also has cerebral palsy) explores the story of Elizabeth Bouvia, a 26-year-old woman with cerebral palsy and arthritis, who in 1983 attempted to starve herself to death in a California hospital, citing that life wasn’t worth living. The legal battle that followed turned her into a public figure. A court ruled she did not have the right to die.
However, in 1986, a judge reversed the decision, but Bouvia chose to continue living, though she still preferred to die under different circumstances. She later lived with a live-in nurse in her own apartment until her death in 2014.
The filmmaker also heads to Canada to explore one of the world’s most aggressive assisted dying programs known as MAID (medical assistance in dying). Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) program, which allows euthanasia for chronic illnesses or disabilities, has increased, and MAID is now the 5th leading cause of Canadian deaths. Davenport digs into the unprecedented rise in disabled people dying prematurely due to MAID and speaks to advocates, patients and doctors who believe euthanasia saves healthcare costs. Davenport views this as a troubling factor in the rise of euthanasia. Davenport acknowledges that assisted dying, in theory, could be safe for terminally ill adults but believes it’s unsafe and risky in a neoliberal society where patients face significant social and economic pressures. Davenport worries that society encourages people with disabilities or chronic medical conditions to view life as not worth living.
The film director is cautious about his documentary being seen as cynical or alarmist by pro-euthanasia advocates and progressives. Davenport believes the issue of assisted dying is complex and that disability activists, not just conservatives, have valid concerns about the potential for abuse and the “slippery slope” argument. He notes that even if the slippery slope argument is seen as fear-mongering, there are instances where it is valid.
The film in varying confronts two powerful systems—the healthcare and bureaucratic systems—challenging their responsibility for overlooking how their shortcomings and policies may not be as effective as they seem. More importantly, Life After is a crucial exploration of the value of life itself.
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