The Cinematheque

“As clearly and subtly as Davenport conveys the implications of the right-to-die policy, he maintains a grounded sense of compassion and an appreciation for the human complexity in every story that he brings into the fold of this film.”

Nicolas Rapold, Sight and Sound

In the 1980s, disability rights advocate Elizabeth Bouvia made headlines in America when she sought the right to die. Bouvia, who lived with cerebral palsy and severe arthritis, insisted her quality of life was so low it was no longer worth living—sparking a debate about whether disabled people should be given the right to choose death over treatment. Provoked by Bouvia’s history, award-winning director Reid Davenport sets out on a personal investigation from Texas to Ontario, where he meets disabled people who contemplate the thin line between empowered decision and coerced resolve. For some, medical assistance in dying (MAID) is seen as a disturbingly convenient solution to a web of intersecting social and financial problems. While the Canadian government has delayed the implementation of MAID until 2027 for those whose only underlying medical condition is a mental illness, important ethical, moral, and existential questions posed by Davenport linger. What in the end makes a life worth living?

US Documentary Special Jury Award
Sundance 2025

“Life After doesn’t equivocate; neither does it offer easy answers. It tackles a thorny topic in a challenging way, with the tenderness, complexity, and the personal perspective it deserves.” Ben Kenigsberg, The New York Times

Post-screening discussion with Dr. Peter Chan, a geriatric and addiction psychiatrist at Vancouver General Hospital.

Moderated by Dr. Harry Karlinsky, series director.