Unrest
Uncovering the realities of an illness dismissed by the medical community
2017 | Running Time: 98 minutes | Rating: NR
Leaving 75 percent of those inflicted unable to work or bedridden, the devastating disease of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (more commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) is strangely ignored by the medical community. Twenty-eight-year-old Harvard Ph.D. student, Jennifer Brea, is months away from marrying her fiance when that mysterious illness leaves her bedridden. When doctors tell her that it’s “all in her head,” she begins a personal journey from patient to advocate to storyteller. UNREST follows her as she picks up her camera and seeks out others suffering from the disease. Confined by her illness, she travels by Skype, crafting intimate portraits of four other families similarly suffering. The film premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Director/Producer: Jennifer Brea; Producer: Lindsey Dryden, Patricia Gillespie, Alysa Nahmias; Executive Producer: Dan Cogan, Ian Darling, Mona Eliassen, Dona Fairman Wilson, Lisa Gunn, Ruth Ann Harnisch, Deborah Hoffman, Regina K. Scully, Lynda Weinman
Sundance Film Festival 2017: Special Jury Prize for Documentary Editing, Grand Jury Prize for Documentary (nomination)
SXSW Film Festival 2017: SXSW Chicken & Egg Award (nomination)
Sheffield International Documentary Festival 2017: Illuminate Award, Alternate Realities Virtual Reality Award
RiverRun International Film Festival 2017: Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature, Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature (nomination)
Nashville Film Festival 2017: Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature
Indie Street Film Festival 2017: Jury Award for Best Documentary
Cinema Eye Honors Awards 2018: Cinema Eye Honors Award for The Unforgettables
Melbourne Film Festival 2017: People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary (nomination)
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival 2017: Audience Award for Best Documentary (nomination)
Dallas International Film Festival 2017: Grand Jury Prize for Documentary (nomination)
Cleveland International Film Festival 2017: Global Health Competition for Best Film (nomination)
“It’s a film that’s remarkably intimate, deeply edifying and a stirring call to action.”
LOS ANGELES TIMES