Pay or Die

Today, nearly 2 million Americans are being held for ransom. Without insulin, they’ll be dead in days. This is the story of 3 families who are on the receiving end of ransom notes, revealing the reality of life with this chronic illness.

2023 | Running Time: 1 Hour 30 minutes | Rating: NR

In Today, nearly 2 million Americans are being held for ransom. Without insulin, they’ll be dead in days. PAY OR DIE follows families on the receiving end of these ransom notes, revealing the harrowing reality of life with chronic illness in the richest country in the world. From a mother-and-daughter struggling to rebuild their lives after losing their home when they had to spend their rent money on insulin, to a young adult diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic, to a Minnesota family thrust into the national spotlight when their 26-year-old son dies from rationing his insulin, “Pay or Die” lays bare the human cost of America’s insulin affordability crisis. Filmmakers: Rachael Dyer and Scott Ruderman

“That so many have to struggle not just with the disease but also the cost of staying alive is a national disgrace that documentaries such as this, however well-intentioned, can only begin to address.”

–Frank Scheck, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER