An Interview with Laura’s Choice Directors Sam Lara and Cathy Henkel – A Meditation on Compassion, Family, and the Difficult Discussions Along the Way

Every so often, a film comes across your way that manages to reinforce a life perspective that you’ve long felt alone with feeling. For me, the discussions about end of life care, and voluntary assisted dying, have been something that I’ve found that we all need to talk about more. As our community ages, we owe it to our loved ones to support their end of life journey in the manner that they feel is best for them.

Which is why I’m beyond grateful that I had the time to talk to filmmakers Sam Lara and Cathy Henkel about their powerful documentary, Laura’s Choice. This film follows Laura Henkel, an eccentric, outspoken, feisty 90-year-old who has decided she wants to end her life on her own terms. This interview is about how Sam and Cathy both approached Laura’s request for them both to make a film about her choice, and the path that it leads them down.

This synopsis may sound depressing, or difficult to bear, but that hides the joy and beauty within this film. It’s a story full of love, compassion, empathy, and most importantly, the support for the choice of a loved one, a mother, a grandmother, to decide to embark upon voluntary assisted dying. Laura’s Choice is a celebration of life, and for that, I’m beyond grateful that Sam, Cathy, and Laura, all trusted the audience with taking us down this journey.

Laura’s Choice will be screening at the WA Made Film Festival on Saturday, March 13th at 1:30pm. If you cannot attend this screening, then please view Laura’s Choice on ABC when it screens over two nights on March 17th and March 25th.

Please also follow Laura’s Choice on Facebook and Instagram.

Finally, thank you again to Sam Lara and Cathy Henkel for trusting me with this interview. Your words mean more than you will ever know.

If this discussion brings up some feelings that are hard to handle, then please get in contact with Lifeline (13 11 14) or Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636).

See also

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Shape Director Rogers Ungers Talks About Body Positivity in the Gay Community in This Interview – The Curb

Roger Ungers is a documentarian who continually presents a new perspective on the world around us. His 2020 documentary Finding Creativity saw him explore the complex nature of creativity, and in turn, he reflects on his own creativity. That personal touch is brought to his latest documentary, Shape.This is a film about physicality and the at times exclusionary manner that the gay community can exhibit prejudice against different body types. Shape explores how a community that is often vocal about celebrating diversity can engage in body discrimination.Shape screened at the Mardi Gras Queer Film Festival in 2024. To keep track of where Shape will screen in the future, visit Roger's website: RogerThatPictures.com.au for more information.Thank you for listening to this episode of The Curb podcast. To help keep the Curb independent, visit patreon.com/thecurbau to show your support from as little as $1 a month.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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