'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.
'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.