The Readings

I Hugged the Berlin Patient

2013 · ★ 7

A spirited cancer survivor goes on a spontaneous search for 'The Berlin Patient' - the first man in the world actually cured of HIV.

Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist

2021 · ★ 8

An intimate look at the Oscar-nominated actor’s incomparable artistry, and the acting process which informed his transformative performances. Viola Davis, Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, George C. Wolfe, Branford Marsalis, Phylicia Rashad and more take us behind the scenes to explore Boseman's extraordinary commitment to his craft.

Esse Outubro Não É Rosa

No synopsis available.

Five Stars

2017 · ★ 5

With her camera in tow, filmmaker Annekatrin Hendel settles into a hotel by the sea for four weeks; with her is her old friend Ines Rastig who, after her divorce and alimony battle, is now homeless. Room service may deliver fresh fruit every day, but it’s the moment of truth for these two women as they humorously and unsparingly scrutinise practical problems after the end of a long marriage.

A Healthy Baby Girl

1997 · ★ 8

Filmmaker Judith Helfand turns the camera on herself to document her battle with cancer caused by DES, a drug prescribed to her mother during pregnancy. Refusing to confine the tears, rage, laughter and hope to dinner table conversations, Helfand invites us to witness her personal journey from radical hysterectomy patient to vocal opponent of toxic exposure. From her suburban home to the halls of Congress, the intensely private becomes widely public, and an American family is transformed and strengthened.

Mystical Brain

2006 · ★ 7

Is it possible to shed light on the states of grace experienced by mystics and meditators? Mystical Brain shows us the most recent discoveries of scientific research on this phenomenon in North America and abroad. It seems that mystical ecstasy is a profoundly transformative experience. It could contribute to people's psychic and bodily health, treat depression and speed up the healing process in patients who combine meditation with conventional medicine.

Listen to Her Heart: The Life and Music of Laurie Beechman

2003 · ★ 8

Documentary on the actress & singer.

Rhod Gilbert: A Pain in the Neck for SU2C

2023 · ★ 9.5

In June 2022, comedian Rhod Gilbert was diagnosed with a little-known form of head and neck cancer. This is the story of his intimate, inspiring and humorous journey through treatment.

Merton: A Film Biography

1984 · ★ 8.5

In his lifetime, Thomas Merton was hailed as a prophet and censured for his outspoken social criticism. For nearly 27 years he was a monk of the austere Trappist order, where he became an eloquent spiritual writer and mystic as well as an anti-war advocate and witness to peace. Merton: A Film Biography provides the first comprehensive look at this remarkable 20th century religious philosopher who wrote, in addition to his immensely popular autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain, over 60 books on some of the most pressing social issues of our time, some of which are excerpted here. Merton offers an engaging profile of a man whose presence in the world touched millions of people and whose words and thoughts continue to have a profound impact and relevance today.

Sir Chris Hoy: Cancer, Courage and Me

2025

Facing the biggest challenge of his life, Sir Chris Hoy opens up about his journey with terminal cancer and how the mental strength he honed as a six-time Olympic gold medallist is now helping him to inspire others. Drawing on his Olympic career, Chris reconsiders his purpose and how he will choose to live with cancer – turning his focus towards raising awareness and inspiring others. The story follows Chris from the early stages of planning a brand new cycling event through to being joined by friends, including Sir Andy Murray, for the end result in Glasgow: the Tour de Four, a bike ride with the ambition to raise one million pounds for charity and show fellow sufferers that it’s possible to stay active throughout their treatment.

I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale

2009 · ★ 6.9

John Cazale was in only five films – The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather: Part II, Dog Day Afternoon and The Deer Hunter – each was nominated for Best Picture. Yet today most people don't even know his name. I KNEW IT WAS YOU is a fresh tour through movies that defined a generation.

Jarabe contra el cáncer

2017

The rock star Pau Donés has advanced cancer, but he is confronting the disease with humour and in a positive light so as not to overdramatise it.