I Am Breathing
Dir: Emma Davie, Morag McKinnon
2013
****
I am Breathing is an important film but above that it is a privilege. It explains the basics of Motor Neurone Disease without going into too much detail, I didn't realise how quickly it can take effect of its victims but otherwise this film is more about the man rather than the illness. I say this film is a privilege because it is about as personal as it gets, Neil Platt lets us into his last days of life without ego or drama but purely as a form of advice, for want of a better word. Good advice from a dying man. That's a beautiful thing. Dying so young of Motor Neurone Disease however is not. Neil Platt faces death with a healthy attitude that isn't for the cameras but is an honest balance of uplifting strength and heartbreaking reality. It's not an easy film to watch but it certainly isn't a hard one either, as we only see what we need to see, the rest is tastefully left for friends and family. It's a powerful and thoughtful film that deserves to be seen. Rest in Piece Neil Platt.