2011 Sundance Docs in Focus: HOW TO DIE IN OREGON

Another alumnus, Peter D Richardson, returns to Sundance with his sophomore film, screening in the US Documentary Competition, HOW TO DIE IN OREGON, a poignant and affecting look at individuals facing terminal illnesses and their desire to choose the terms of their own deaths.

Sundance Program Description:

From its opening scene, where a terminally ill cancer patient takes a lethal dose of Seconal and literally dies on camera, it becomes shockingly clear that HOW TO DIE IN OREGON is a special film. In 1994, Oregon became the first state to legalize physician-assisted suicide. As a result, any individual whom two physicians diagnose as having less than six months to live can lawfully request a fatal dose of barbiturate to end his or her life. Since 1994, more than 500 Oregonians have taken their mortality into their own hands.

In HOW TO DIE IN OREGON, filmmaker Peter Richardson (CLEAR CUT: THE STORY OF PHILOMATH, OREGON screened at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival) gently enters the lives of the terminally ill as they consider whether—and when—to end their lives by lethal overdose. Richardson examines both sides of this complex, emotionally charged issue. What emerges is a life-affirming, staggeringly powerful portrait of what it means to die with dignity.

Some Background:
Richardson’s previous Sundance film, CLEAR CUT, dealt with another controversial issue in the Beaver State, and, like his newest project, showcased his abilities as a veritable one-man film crew – taking on the roles of directing, producing, shooting, and editing.

Why You Should Watch:
HOW TO DIE IN OREGON might just be the most affecting film in the line-up – as the official description above suggests, it’s hard to imagine a filmmaker showing an audience anything more intimate than a protagonist dying on screen, and presenting it in a reverential and respectful manner that absolutely does not feel intrusive. The topic is explored in all of its complexity, involving not only individuals facing this all-important decision, but their families, caregivers, and advocates, and how it affects them. The fight to expand these rights beyond Oregon also provides the opportunity for a balance of additional and diverse viewpoints.

Screening Info:
For screening dates and times at Sundance, click the link in the first paragraph above. The film also has a Facebook page to help you keep updated.