Educational Media Reviews Online

The Netherlands delivers another great film. Dying with Dignity is a well thought out and beautifully executed film dealing with euthanasia. The film chronicles the journey of 4 people who have been diagnosed with cancer. Sadly, all but 1 passes on but not before helping to demonstrate the compassion and professionalism that the Dutch possess in dealing with euthanasia.

The film is narrated in English with the dialog between the patients and doctors in Dutch with English subtitles. The film is so well done that the viewer forms a connection with the patients of the film and the subtitles do not present distraction.

Dying with Dignity demonstrates that euthanasia is a choice that when thought out carefully and planned for is a viable treatment for terminal illness. The film shows the exacting process by which physicians communicate with their patients in order to make certain they understand their wishes. The director also covers the legal side of euthanasia. A board examines each case of active euthanasia in order to determine if any penalties are warranted. While euthanasia is not against the law, active euthanasia is still found in the penal code of the Netherlands.

One of the 4 people sought active euthanasia as the means to terminate his life. The director, out of compassion and respect, did not show the actual euthanizing.

The film concludes with a poem that appropriately conveys the view of death and dying held by the Dutch.

This film is suited for college or university libraries with collections in bioethics and medicine. Law library collections would also benefit as it deals with the legal side of euthanasia.