Movies like Mr. Cortisone, Happy Days

In 1994 Oregon became the first state to legalize physician-assisted suicide. At the time, only Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands had legalized the practice. 'How to Die in Oregon' tell the stories of those most intimately involved with the practice today -- terminally ill Oregonians, their families, doctors, and friends -- as well as the passage of an assisted suicide law in Washington State.

The Darkness of Day is a haunting meditation on suicide. It is comprised entirely of found 16mm footage that had been discarded. The sadness, the isolation, and the desire to escape are recorded on film in various contexts. Voice-over readings from the journal kept by a brother of the filmmaker’s friend who committed suicide in 1990 intermix with a range of compelling stories, from the poignant double suicide of an elderly American couple to a Japanese teenager who jumped into a volcano, spawning over a thousand imitations. While this is a serious exploration of a cultural taboo, its lyrical qualities invite the viewer to approach the subject with understanding and compassion.

Documentary about Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who was performing euthanasia in the US in 1990's

The film chronicles the diagnosis and treatment of a breast cancer survivor, interspersed with personal tales from famous international celebrities who are also survivors, or affected closely by cancer.

Not far from the White House, the Capitol, and the National Mall lies a part of Washington, DC that the tourists never see and the mainstream media virtually ignores. At least three percent of DC is HIV positive, a staggering rate higher than parts of Africa. Behind all the stories of heartbreak, loss, and struggle there are also the incredible, encouraging stories of the people behind grassroots movements to extend education, combat stigmas, and spread hope.

Indestructible portrays an epic journey of self-discovery for filmmaker and single father Ben Byer as he battles the incurable and fatal neuro-degenerative disease, ALS (aka Lou Gehrig's disease), chronicles his search for an effective treatment in this poignant Cinequest Film Festival award winner for Best Documentary. Byer records his emotional and spiritual highs and lows and celebrates life as he journeys across the United States, to Greece and to China, where his hope teeters on an experimental operation.