'Cartas desde el infierno' by Ramón Sampedro
Ramón Sampedro
A collection of letters, poems, and essays, Ramón Sampedro’s ‘Cartas desde el infierno’ constitutes a philosophical treatise on the ethics of euthanasia. Written over decades – between the 1968 accident that left Sampedro tetraplegic and the 1996 first edition – the book became a landmark work on the right-to-die debate, influencing the 2021 legalization of assisted death in Spain.
'Dead at Noon' by Gillian Bennett
Gillian Bennett
Gillian Bennett took her own life in 2014, 3 years after being diagnosed with dementia. She posted an open letter online explaining her reasons and hoping to reignite the debate about assisted dying in Canada. The law changed soon after.
'Lecretia's Choice' by Matt Vickers
Matt Vickers
In this heartfelt memoir, Matt Vickers recounts how he and his wife, prominent lawyer Lecretia Seales who was diagnosed with a brain tumour, fought in the Aotearoa/New Zealand High Court to allow her to choose when she died. Although her case was rejected, Seales’s story influenced subsequent legalisation in the country.
'Audrey Parker’s last message to Canadians' by Audrey Parker
Audrey Parker
In this video statement, Audrey Parker appeals to Canadians to have the MAID laws in place in 2018 changed. Parker felt that she was obliged to receive MAID earlier than necessary due to her fear that she would lose the ability to provide late-stage consent, one of the law’s original stipulations. Audrey’s Amendment was introduced in 2021 eliminating the requirement of late-stage consent.
'October' by Shoojit Sircar
Shoojit Sircar (Director), Juhi Chaturvedi (Writer)
In ‘October,’ Dan gets attached to his coworker Shiuli while waiting for her to recover from a deep coma. During this wait, Dan and Shiuli’s family have multiple conversations about the possibility of ‘pulling the plug.’ ‘October’ subtly broaches the topic of passive euthanasia, and ultimately affirms conventional beliefs held in India about the sacredness of life.
'Tot altijd' by Nic Balthazar
Nic Balthazar (director and writer)
Multiple sclerosis patient Mario Verstraete is fighting for a legal regulation of assisted dying in Belgium. When the law does take effect in 2002, he is the first to use it. The feature film, which is based on the real life of the Belgian activist Mario Verstraete, provides an impression of the Belgian legislative process and was received by interest groups with both approval and criticism.
'Zondag gaat het gebeuren' by Joeri Vlekken
Joeri Vlekken (director)
This award-winning documentary follows Carl Ridders, a 50-year-old Dutch-Belgian actor with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), in his final months before choosing assisted death. It captures theatrical photoshoots during which Carl was photographed by Lieve Blancquart. It subtly suggests assisted death as a way to preserve dignity and avoid suffering in one’s last moments.