Blu-Ray BD50 / 1080p / 24fps / Region ABC
RRP: £19.99
Release Date: 14 August 2023
SRBD 068
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Geoffrey Smith’s multi-award-winning documentary centres on the work of Henry Marsh, a leading British brain surgeon, and a pioneer of neurosurgical technique whose expertise provides a glimmer of hope to patients in impoverished post-Soviet Ukraine.
Instrumental in creating a viable clinic in Kyiv that could offer hope to those who would otherwise go untreated, Marsh literally holds the power of life and death in his hands, provoking inevitable moral dilemmas. Grounded in compassion and humanity, this fascinating film unsentimentally explores the often complex relationship with his patients. Beautifully shot and edited, with a haunting score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, this powerful, emotive film shares the triumphs of Marsh’s successes and the profound sorrow of his failures.
Presented from the new director-approve HD transfer, our region-free Blu-ray features an exclusive, newly filmed interviews with surgeon Henry Marsh and filmmaker Geoffrey Smith, plus a booklet with new writing on the film by critic Trevor Johnston.
• The Engish Surgeon (2007) presented from the a new HD transfer, approved by the director.
• An exclusive, newly filmed interview with surgeon
Henry Marsh.
• An exclusive, newly filmed interview with filmmaker
Geoffrey Smith
• Trailer
• Booklet with new writing on the film by writer and critic Trevor Johnston.
• Region free Blu-ray (A/B/C).
• World premiere release on Blu-ray.
Directed and Produced by Geoffrey Smith
Director of Photography – Graham Day
Editor - Kathy O’Shea
Soundtrack composed and performed by Nick Cave
and Warren Ellis
Co-Producer - Rachel Wexler
Online Editor and Colourist – Tony Wilson
Sound Recordist – Darrell Briggs
Executive Producers - Greg Sanderson, Nick Fraser,
Sally Jo Fifer
Main Cast
Henry Marsh
Igor Petrovich Kurilets
Marian Dolishny
Many other gems of international documentary
cinema are also available on Second Run
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2010 Emmy Awards / Winner: Outstanding Science and Technology Programming
2011 DuPont Columbia Awards / Winner: Silver Baton
2009 ZagrebDox / Winner: Audience Award
2008 Hotdocs / Winner: Best International Feature Documentary
2008 Sheffield DocFest / Winner: Audience Award
2008 Screen East Awards / Winner: Best Film + Best Doucumentary
2008 Docu Days Kyiv / Winner: Audience Award
2008 Shanghai TV Festival / Best International Documentary
2008 KOS Health Film Festival / Winner: Audience Award
2008 AFI Silverdocs / Winner: Sterling World Feature Award
#4 in the Documentary Blog’s 'Top 50 Documentaries of the Decade'
“This is one extraordinary documentary, approaching hugely emotive subject matter with nimble delicacy and, it has to be said, steely reserve... A life-affirming, unforgettable portrait of a true humanitarian”
Time Out
“Simply extraordinarily human... A lovely, lovely film, the best documentary for a long time” The Guardian
“Deeply touching, resonant and very funny”
Variety
“One of those documentaries that makes you feel good about the human condition... a memorable and uplifting experience” The Hollywood Reporter
“Enthralling, astonishing... agonizingly human”
New York Times
“A well-made film and an agonizing experience. Some will feel privileged to see human drama and an aspect of life not often seen on the movie screen. Others will feel haunted by it...
For sure, few will leave the film unaffected”
San Francisco Chronicle