My Dying Day (2007)

Director:

Courtney Fathom Sell

Genre:

Short

Tagline:

Imagine living each day as your last...

Plot:

'My Dying Day' is a deeply emotional, yet optimistic look at an individual fighting against all odds to overcome his incurable sickness...

Cast

Bradley Sell

...

Himself

Directed by
Courtney Fathom Sell

Produced by
Bradley Sell	....	co-producer
Courtney Fathom Sell	....	producer

Original Music by
Courtney Fathom Sell		(original music by)

Cinematography by
Courtney Fathom Sell		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Courtney Fathom Sell

Production Companies

• Slumlord Film Productions

Distributors

• Emphasis Entertainment Group (2009) (worldwide) (DVD)

Runtime:

USA:10 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Slumlord Film Productions

Wow

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I saw this film when it screened in New York City at Anthology Film Archives, and was completely amazed. Haven't been able to forget it since. Luckily, I was able to get a copy of the DVD from the filmmaker afterwards.

At first, your not really sure how the movie's going to play out, seeing that it was shot on a home video camera and begins with a rather morbid scene (The main subject in a funeral home planning his own arrangements), but Sell (Fathom's own Father) is a lighthearted subject and brings a sense of comfort to each scene. From interviews with the Subject, as he was living out his final days after being diagnosed with cancer - to moments where he directly deals with death (such as the scene where he prays over an elderly man who passed away just moments before) Fathom Sell's short is a powerful experience that stays with you long after it ends.

Regarding the film quality, upon researching Fathom Sell, found out that he basically parades his Hi8 video camera and seems to be purposefully using this equipment for whatever reason, so the film feels as if we are watching a series of edited home videos and brings the viewer in on a personal level (Very clever).

This documentary is unlike most I have seen within the past few years and is certainly worth seeking out. Never before had I seen anything so personal and so honest, without it being to sappy or sad. There are many moments however that nearly brought me to tears (the scene where Sell shows us the sight of his grave plot comes to mind first). The movie has a steady pace, and is short enough to leave us wanting more.

Sell certainly has his own style of film-making - something I learned upon watching his other doc. 'No Place Like Home', and though it may not be for all tastes, it deserves applause for showing us absolute reality. His films are about real people in real life situations, and Sell's style is simply allowing the camera to roll and capture the many small things which make life so beautiful.

As I too have lost someone to cancer, I recommend this film to anyone dealing with losing a loved one or living with cancer, as it goes far to show us that even in the toughest situations, life must go on - and can still be enjoyed. Sell has a wonderful sense of humor and always makes the best of each situation, such as the moment where he tells the Funeral director that he makes funerals fun - "I'm kinda looking forward to it!". :)

Bravo to Fathom Sell for being brave enough to go as far as to document and compile such extremely personal moments into a touching, powerful, and inspiring movie. Hopefully it will be released to the world soon. The reason I didn't give it a 10 out of 10 rating is simply because I wished it was longer.

-JC